Superfoods and Longevity

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death worldwide. Factors that can reduce the occurrence of these important diseases could contribute to important improvements in health and longevity. While oxidative stress promotes ageing and related chronic diseases, a diet enriched in fruits, vegetables, and their processed products is known to be protective against oxidative stress, reducing the incidences of chronic diseases. The polyphenols contained in fruits and vegetables are the most powerful natural antioxidants. Many published clinical studies on the effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on health have shown an inverse association between dietary polyphenol intake and cardiovascular disease risk, with a reduction in cardiovascular mortality of up to 65%. In simple words, polyphenols can prevent the main cardiovascular diseases responsible for aging and death. Some controlled studies on the short-term effects of a dietary intervention with foods rich in polyphenols (e.g., cocoa, nuts, tea, red wine) have shown that the main positive effect on reducing the risk of cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke) is due to an evident improvement in vascular endothelial function. In particular, the acute and short-term intake of polyphenols with the diet, through a powerful direct antioxidant action as scavengers (substances capable of transforming oxygen free radicals into non-radical compounds free of reactivity and therefore toxicity), reduces the level of oxygen free radicals (oxidative stress) and therefore increases the bioavailability of nitric oxide (the most powerful endogenous natural vasodilator). All this leads to an increase in endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans, with repair of vascular damage, improvement of blood perfusion to organs, and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases, with the result not only of a longer life but, above all, of an exceptional state of physical and mental form until late age.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences entitled “Superfoods and Longevity” will include a selection of original articles and reviews aimed at expanding our awareness of the progress in the knowledge of the super foods acting as antioxidants, reducing oxidative stress and oxidant enzymes, and providing protection from deleterious reactive oxygen species.

Prof. Dr. Valerio Sanguigni
Guest Editor

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