TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgment           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Table of Content    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         1

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Phytochemicals          –         –         –         –         –         –         –         3

2.1 Type of Phytochemicals       –         –         –         –         –         –         3

2.1.1 Alkaloids      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         4

2.1.2 Flavonoids    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         5

2.1.3 Tannins         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         6

2.1.4 Saponins       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         7

2.1.5 Terpenes       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         8

2.2 History of Use of Phytochemicals  –         –         –         –         –         10

2.3 Effect of Food Processing on Phytochemicals    –         –         –         11

2.4 Biological Functions of Phytochemicals  –         –         –         –         12

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Role of Phytochemicals in Human Nutrition     –         –         –         14

3.1 Importance of Alkaloid in Human Nutrition      –         –         –         14

3.2 Role of Flavonoid in Human Nutrition    –         –         –         –         15

3.3 Role of Saponins in Human nutrition       –         –         –         –         17

3.4 Role of Tannins in Human Nutrition        –         –         –         –         18

3.5 Bioavailability of Phytochemicals –         –         –         –         –         19

3.6 Absorption of Phytochemicals       –         –         –         –         –         20

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         22

4.2     Recommendation   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         23

            References

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Plant metabolites can be divided into two groups: primary metabolites, which are involved in the nutrition and the essential metabolic processes (e.g. carbohydrate, lipids and proteins); and secondary ones, which have an important function in the interaction between a plant and its environment, such as pigment or defensive compounds, secondary metabolites include a group of compounds known as phenolic; in this group, we can find the flavonoids (Adam, 2008).

Phytochemicals are a large group of natural substances with variable structures present almost of natural substances with variable structures present almost in all growing parts of the plants, being reported as the most abundant plant along with chlorophyll and carotenoids, also, providing fragrance and taste to fruits, flowers and seeds, which makes them attractants for other organisms, these compounds are one of the largest groups of secondary metabolites pharmacological activities. Recent interest in these substances has been stimulated by the potential health benefits arising from the antioxidant activities of these polyphenolic compounds (Detage, 2015). However, they attract attention due to their antioxidant activity and reduce free radical formation and also scavenge free radicals (Seyoum et al., 2006). Flavonoids have other important biological activities such as protection of skin from UV light exposure; protect DNA from damage, strengthening of capillaries, anti-inflammatory effect and protective action against radiation, moistening, softening, soothing, antiseptic and other. Due to these properties, flavonoids can be used as ingredient in the production of cosmetics and pharmaceutical product (Chuarienthong et al., 2010; Malinowska, 2013).