**8. Conclusion**

products is low, hence they have to be processed (fortified) to improve their overall nutritional

A novel way of consuming grain products is the consumption of functional foods. Functional here refers to foods that provide other health benefits to the body apart from those derived from its nutrients. Eating whole grain meals and functional food products will therefore

Recent dramatic increases in food prices are having severe consequences for poor countries and their populace. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, reports that food prices rose by nearly 40% in 2007 and made further large jumps in early 2008. Nearly all agricultural commodities including rice, maize, wheat, meat, dairy products, soybeans, palm oil, and cassava are affected. In response to the price hikes, food riots have occurred in many developing countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Haiti, Indonesia, Senegal, and Somalia. According to the FAO, 37 countries are now

Many investigations continue to establish the protective cancer-preventive and healthful compounds incerealgrains [81-83,12].In[84],itwas reportedthatmanyepidemiological studies suggested that consumption of whole grain cereal is highly correlated to reduced incidences of chronic diseases. Experimental and epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of grains, lowerthe incidence of aging diseases, as well as other non-communicable diseases such as colorectal cancer, hypertension, stroke and heart diseases [85-87]. There is strong epidemio‐ logical evidence that whole-grain cereals protect the body against age-related diseases such as diabetes, CVDs and some cancers. This may be due to the fibre and micronutrients in the outer layer and germ fractions of the grain acting together to combat oxidative stress, inflamma‐ tion, hyperglycaemia and carcinogenesis. It has been shown that the whole wheat flours of different wheat varieties contain significant amounts of phenolic antioxidants and dietary fibres). Cereal bran fibres, good for colon health, show good potential for high incorporation into extruded foods [88]. Sorghum phytochemicals have been shown to have potential impact on human [19]. There is now evidence that the consumption of whole grains and whole-grain products is implicated in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases [83]. Studies have shown that plant food material with polyphenolic constituents have more potent antioxidant

enhance the nutritional intake derived from whole grain related diets [79].

**6. Global policies affecting antioxidant-rich grain production**

**7. Future research on natural antioxidant-rich grains**

**5. Novel antioxidant grain-based products**

178 Antioxidant-Antidiabetic Agents and Human Health

quality [78].

facing food crises [80].

The beneficial effects associated with whole grain consumption are in part due to the existence of the unique phytochemicals of whole grains [9]. Based on the epidemiological data, con‐ sumption of whole wheat grain has been recommended to improve insulin sensitivity and to lower serum insulin concentration [90,91].
