Download or read book Medicinal Plants and Foods written by Gema Nieto and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2020-11-20 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Medicinal plants or medicinal herbs have been identified and used since ancient times to improve the sensory characteristics of food. The main compounds found in plants correspond to four major biochemical classes: Polyphenols, terpenes, glycosides and alkaloids. Plants synthesize these compounds for a variety of purposes, including protection of the plant against fungi and bacteria, defense against insects and attraction of pollinators and dispersal agents to favor the dispersion of seeds and pollens.