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- Title
Alimentos funcionales, alfalfa y fitoestrógenos.
- Authors
Cortés-Sánchez, Alejandro De Jesús; León-Sánchez, José Rubén; Jiménez-González, Francisco Javier; Díaz-Ramírez, Mayra; Villanueva-Carvajal, Adriana; Guzmán-Medina, Cynthia A.
- Abstract
Functional food development has been increased during the last years due to the population interest in foods that have not only a nutritional function but a health benefit as well reducing the risk of suffering several diseases. Alfalfa has been intended as cattle feed, although several investigations have reported that alfalfa contains bioactive compounds –phytochemicals- proteins with an estrogenic effect, and antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, being classified as a functional food with protection against cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and other diseases. The aim of the present study is to offer a general information outline, through a bibliographic review, of functional foods' status, focusing on alfalfa and its phytochemicals (phytoestrogens), compounds that give it its functional food character and its adverse effects shown in the reproductive system of experimental animals as well. Such dichotomy between adverse and beneficial effects is the sign that shows that it is needed more information and more studies to be done in order to establish the effect of phytoestrogens in the development and reproductive function in animals, its agonistic and antagonistic effect and risk-benefit balance in its consumption.
- Publication
Revista Mutis, 2016, Vol 6, Issue 1, p28
- ISSN
2256-1498
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.21789/22561498.1110