Functional Foods for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

This book provides a consolidated approach towards the prevention and/or management of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) with functional foods. It is well-known that DM is a global issue and is a growing burden on healthcare systems as well as on individuals. Despite all the advances in knowledge and progress in conventional therapy, DM poses a greater challenge than ever. Consequently, alternative therapies, such as medicinal foods, termed as 'functional foods' might be the key to circumvent the epidemic of DM. Several studies have shown that several foods have the power to decrease blood sugar levels and at the same time prevent further diabetic complications, hence increasing the life-span of such patients. Nonetheless, the area of functional foods and health is one that is relatively still in its infancy, and this book has endeavored to overview recent advances in this area, such as microencapsulation technology, which holds promise for the successful delivery of bioactive ingredients from functional foods.