# From Functional Ingredients to Functional Foods: Focus on Brassicales Plant Species and Glucosinolates

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how Brassicales plants, rich in glucosinolates, can be used as functional foods or ingredients to promote health and prevent diseases.

## Contribution

The paper systematically evaluates Brassicales species as functional foods based on their glucosinolate profiles and potential health benefits.

## Key findings

- Brassicales species contain glucosinolates with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemoprotective properties.
- Agronomic practices and processing can enhance glucosinolate levels in these plants.
- These plants can help prevent cardiovascular, obesity-related, and degenerative diseases.

## Abstract

The concept of functional nutrition has garnered mounting attention, primarily due to growing evidence that specific dietary components have the capacity to provide health benefits that extend beyond the mere supply of basic nutrients. In this context, glucosinolate-rich species of the Brassicales order are of importance as a source of bioactive compounds, which exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemoprotective properties. The review identifies which Brassicales species may be considered as functional foods or functional ingredients. It does so by starting from their glucosinolate profile, summarizing their potential applications in disease prevention, and highlighting current strategies aimed at enhancing glucosinolate levels through agronomic practices and processing approaches. The potential applications of the main species of the Brassicales order in the prevention of cardiovascular, obesity-related and degenerative diseases, as well as in the development of functional foods, are highlighted. These species are considered both as ready-to-use functional foods and as functional ingredients that can be obtained through extraction or fermentation processes, including the valorization of agricultural waste.