The use of plants as food and medicinal remedies since ancient times is partially attributed to the biological efficacy of secondary metabolites that possess antioxidant activities such as phenolic compounds, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids. Tea extracts are powerful antioxidants due to the presence of chemical compounds such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC) and epicatechin (EC). The waste materials such as the peels and pomace are a source of sugars, minerals and organic acids, dietary fibers and phenolics which have a wide range of actions which includes antioxidants, antimutagenic, cardio preventive, antibacterial and antiviral activities. In recent years, due to a incredible growth in processed food and fruit-processing industries, tones of by-products are produced. These by-products are potential sources of both antioxidant and nutraceutical components that can be explored. The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been regarded as a “healing food” with numerous beneficial effects in several diseases. Indeed, the pomegranate was commonly used in folk medicine, for eliminating parasites, as an anthelmintic and vermifuge, and to treat and cure aphthae, ulcers, diarrhea, acidosis, dysentery, hemorrhage, microbial infections, and respiratory pathologies. Pomegranate peels yield more of the powerful antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolics, and proanthocyanins than what the pulp yields. Cinnamon bark of a variety of cinnamon species is one of the most important and accepted spices used worldwide not only for cooking, but as well in traditional and modern medicines. Cinnamon has several health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, nematocidal, mosquito larvicidal (Cheng et al., 2004), insecticidal, ant mycotic and anticancer agent. Lemon peels contain about 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice they contain high amounts of calcium and vitamin C, lemon peels have been shown to aid preventing osteoporosis, inflammatory polyarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
