Revisiting the nutritional and functional value and health-promoting potential of Syzygium species

Abstract

Syzygium species are consumed worldwide, and their edible conventional and unconventional parts contain nutrients and bioactive compounds with beneficial health effects. This review aims to summarize and discuss available information on the nutritional composition and presence of bioactive compounds in Syzygium species, highlighting their ability to promote beneficial health effects, considering studies published in the last 10 years and screened in the databases PubMed Scopus, and Web of Science. These studies show that different parts of Syzygium species (fruits, leaves, bark, and seeds) contain phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, saponins, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals capable of promoting health. The body of evidence gathered from in vitro and animal model experiments shows that several Syzygium species exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, hepatoprotective, and antibacterial properties. Syzygium species could be used to develop novel functionalized ingredients, food products, and nutraceuticals as strategies to stimulate their consumption, applicability, and valorization.

Keywords

• Syzygium
• Nutrients
• Bioactive compounds
• Beneficial effects
• Functional food