Health-Promoting Ingredients in Beverages

Abstract The contribution of beverages to energy and nutrient intakes has been widely documented. However, there has been some facts reported on that beverages may also provide health benefits due to the presence of categories of bioactive compounds. The present chapter contains details about various ingredients present in beverages and their beneficial role in several chronic diseases. The appropriate literature was collected from different sources, including Google, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and library. There are varieties of ingredients including vitamins, minerals, soluble dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds like organic acids, phytosterols, and polyphenols, which possess health benefits as well as may reduce risk of some chronic disorders. Mixture of naturally occurring polyphenols including anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and flavonols, in different fruits such as red and blue berry, had potential anticancer effect. In addition to many biological effects these also have powerful antioxidant and anticancer activities, which could due to synergistic effects of different chemical constituent and nutrients present in fruits, vegetables, and beverages. Further, conclusion and future perspectives in this field have been highlighted for the development of categories of medicinal beverages. In conclusion, the present chapter strongly highlights the use of natural ingredients containing different beverages with low sugar or no-added-sugar drinks, rich in polyphenols, and with antioxidant properties, which may also confer additional health benefits.