| Summary: | Dietary guidelines universally advise adherence to plant-based diets. Plant-based
foods confer considerable health benefits, partly attributable to their abundant micronutrient
(e.g., polyphenol) content. Interest in polyphenols is largely focused on the contribution of their
antioxidant activity to the prevention of various disorders, including cardiovascular disease and
cancer. Polyphenols are classified into groups, such as stilbenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids,
lignans and others. Lignans, which possess a steroid-like chemical structure and are defined as
phytoestrogens, are of particular interest to researchers. Traditionally, health benefits attributed to
lignans have included a lowered risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and breast
cancer. However, the intake of naturally lignan-rich foods varies with the type of diet. Consequently,
based on the latest humans’ findings and gathered information on lignan-rich foods collected from
Phenol Explorer database this review focuses on the potential health benefits attributable to the
consumption of different diets containing naturally lignan-rich foods. Current evidence highlight
the bioactive properties of lignans as human health-promoting molecules. Thus, dietary intake of
lignan-rich foods could be a useful way to bolster the prevention of chronic illness, such as certain
types of cancers and cardiovascular disease.
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