Biodiversity in Brassica oleracea for improved human health in nutrition (SharpGreens) – Importance of biodiversity and bioactive phytochemicals for the human gut microbiome and healthy tissue function of non-gastrointestinal organ systems
?
Of significant societal, health policy, and economic interest is the production, marketing, and consumption of plant-based foods that are naturally enriched with high-quality, health-promoting compounds. Brassica vegetables are rich in minerals, vitamins, and, above all, various secondary plant metabolites, which have the potential to prevent chronic diseases. This morphologically diverse plant species provides an excellent basis for the development of innovative foods. SharpGreens adopts an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise from plant science, food chemistry, preventive medicine, and vegetable production to explore the biodiversity of Brassica oleracea vegetables and generate scientific evidence on how dietary biodiversity can be used to promote and maintain human health. By increasing diversity in both the cultivation and consumption of B. oleracea vegetables, SharpGreens makes an important contribution to preserving biodiversity in nutrition and agriculture and demonstrates the direct link between agrobiodiversity and human health.
