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## Meet the editor

Dr. Hernández-Ledesma is a tenured scientist at the Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), a joint center of shared ownership between the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). She developed her distinguished research career in Spain and the United States (University of California, Berkeley). Her current interests are focused on the study of the potential of alternative food

sources (vegetables, micro and macroalgae, insects), evaluating the digestibility, bioavailability, and bioactivity of their compounds as the basis for the development of new health-promoting ingredients. She has published more than 100 articles in high-impact scientific journals, 40 book chapters, and several articles in international media. Moreover, she has edited seven books and presented her work at multiple international and national conferences.

### Contents


Preface

It is estimated that by 2050 the world's population will exceed 10 billion people, which will lead to a deterioration in global food security. To avoid aggravating this problem, international organizations have recommended dietary changes to reduce animal calorie intake and increase consumption of sustainable, nutrient-rich, calorie-efficient products. In addition, growing awareness of the impact of food on human health and the state of the environment has justified the need to seek alternative sources of food. This has promoted a steady increase in demand for plant-based diets attributed to the growing vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian population, increasing intolerance to animal proteins, and other factors such as ethical concerns, nutritional benefits of plant-based diets, and increased investments in the plant protein sector. To meet the growing demand for plant-based foods expected over the next decade, there is a need to incorporate new food plant sources that embrace climate-resilient production systems and optimize strategies to increase the yield of improved health-promoting compounds. Moreover, this development must be scientifically documented and efficiently and reliably transferred to the academic world and society, favoring the

contribution of all sectors.

consumers.

their activities.

The chapters of this book are divided into three sections.

Section 1, "Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Vegetables", includes three chapters. In Chapter 1 "The Beneficial Role of Nuts and Seeds in a Plant-Based Diet", Michael S. Donaldson aims to answer several questions on the nutritional value of nuts and seeds and their potential health benefits when these plant food sources are incorporated into a plant-based diet. Chapter 2, "African *Moringa stenopetala* Plant: An Emerging Source of Novel Ingredients for Plant-Based Foods", by Anteneh T. Tefera et al., summarizes recent evidence on the potential of this plant, considered a staple food and traditional medicine by the local East African people, as a novel source of ingredients for food, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries. Similarly, in Chapter 3 "Nutritional and Functional Value of African Leafy Vegetables: Advantages and Limitations", Ntsoaki Joyce Malebo shows the advantages of the consumption of African leafy vegetables as an alternative food source because of their high

nutritional value and health properties. This chapter also summarizes the limitations associated with the intake of these plant sources due to their perishable character, low bioavailability of some bioactive compounds, and low acceptability by current

Section 2, "Bioactive Compounds from Vegetal Sources", includes Chapter 4, "Beneficial Effects of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Rich in Phenolic Compounds on Cardiovascular Health". In this chapter, Imen Ghorbel et al. clarify the beneficial effect of extra virgin olive oil on cardiovascular risk factors when included as part of the Mediterranean diet, and review the basic mechanisms by which the polyphenols present in this oil exert
