**1. Introduction**

In the recent days, the world has a strong belief in the field of food, which directly contributes to the human health. Each and every individual is aware of the food intake and its effects to the benefit of the health. The food which contains all vital nutrients not only to subside the hunger but also to provide essential nourishment apart from usual benefits. This will improve the physical and mental state of the human health in a disease free condition leads to a diet related therapeutic model for the lifestyle diseases [1]. Nowadays science and technology has its wide arm in every field because of the scientific evidence that proves the benefits and harmfulness of certain thing. In food technology also, the consumers see to the scientific

## *Bioactive Compounds in Nutraceutical and Functional Food for Good Human Health*

evidence and proof for the beneficial effects of that food item to the health. Thus in the last few decades, the urge for the healthy combo of food demands the health promoting category in the food industry by the consumers [2]. Because of the modern life culture, the people are in hurry and fast, they were in need of fast foods and lead to change in their lifestyle. Thus, the emergence of lifestyle diseases started which is by the lack of physical activity, change in eating habits, taking unhealthy food in an unbalanced way and leads to hazardous health ill effects. The basic daily recommended dietary intake of macronutrients in gender wise is listed in **Table 1**.


#### **Table 1.**

*Recommended daily dietary intake of macronutrients for individuals – gender and age [3].*


**Table 2.** *Daily nutritional requirement in gender based on recommended dietary intakes [7].* *Bioactive Molecules from Medicinal Plants as Functional Foods (Biscuits) for the Benefit… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93352*

Nutrient is the term to be explained or mentioned before the definition of bioactive components in and as food. The food is a combination of vital components in a proper ratio called balanced diet. The nourishment provided by the food for the healthy functioning of the human body is said to be the nutrients [4]. About 2500 years ago, the tenet "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food," espoused Hippocrates receives interest nowadays. Lifestyle and diet intake are common couple factors responsible for major chronic diseases. Major lifestyle diseases like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and obesity, account for 63% annual deaths [5]. Non-communicable diseases are coined as lifestyle diseases, which are linked with the people nature of living and behavior involved in diet, lifestyle, and environment [6]. Thus, the food not only helps to promote health, physical development, and growth but also to prevent or treat various disorders and diseases. Some of the daily recommended nutritional elements gender wise is listed in **Table 2**.
