Root Vegetables Having Medicinal Properties: Their Possible Use in Pharmaceutical and Food Industries

Root, bulb, or tuber vegetables, which are borne underground, are reported to be dense in essential nutrients and come with several health benefits. Most of these root vegetables are the cultivated ones, but few are still underexploited. The root vegetables are consumed either wholly or partially and raw or after processing. They are high in fiber but low in fat and cholesterol. There are wide varieties of bioactive phytochemicals present in them that may contribute to their medicinal and nutraceutical properties. Although some research work has been conducted to uncover the pharmacological effects of root vegetables, their unlimited potential has yet to be fully exploited. The pharmaceutical industry can develop various health-promoting herbal formulations with medicinal properties. The food industry can employ novel processing technologies to preserve nutrition and prevent degradation of the phytochemicals during processing or for value addition of food products. The information presented in this chapter would be helpful for researchers, nutritional and medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and the food industry to design and develop effective medicines, drugs, and value-added food products by exploiting the specific as well as multiple modes of action of the various root vegetables.