Health Benefits of Sphingolipids in Food

Abstract

Sphingolipids are components of eukaryotic cell membranes and are known to function as signaling molecules such as cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. However, knowledge of their role as food components is limited, and their nutritional significance has not been widely recognized. In recent years, the health benefits of sphingolipids in food have been increasingly recognized, with reports on their effects on lifestyle-related diseases through regulation of lipid metabolism, their effects on cancers and inflammation in the lower digestive tract, and their effects on cognitive and motor functions. Currently, sphingolipids derived from food sources are gaining attention as “food ceramides,” particularly for their potential benefits for the skin, and are being applied in foods with functional claims and food for specified health uses. On the other hand, the chemical structure and composition of sphingolipids vary significantly among biological species, meaning that we consume sphingolipids with various chemical structures from food daily. Therefore, to further understand sphingolipids as food components, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the detailed molecular structure of food sphingolipids, their content and composition, the details of their intestinal absorption, and their food functionality, including mechanism of action.

graphical abstract