Several bioactive components of foods such as resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, catechins and avenanthramides have been discovered to promote health through activation and modulation of molecular nutrient sensing complex signaling pathways composed of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycine), NAD (+) dependent deacetylases (sirtuins) and AMPK (AMP activated kinase). These molecular sensing complexes have been determined to be metabolic sensors to govern age-related degenerative diseases and senescence.These bioactive compound complexes exert their effects not only through their antioxidant properties but also by altering signaling pathways involved in aging and age-associated diseases.We have discovered that oats, in addition to having the capacity to reduce blood cholesterol, contain unique bioactive compounds called avenanthramides (Avns), which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Avns modulate endothelial cell function through suppression of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL) -1, IL-6, IL8, MCP-1, and several adhesion molecules including ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin.These bioactive compounds of oats suppress SMC proliferation and increase endothelial cells and SMC production of NO, a vasodilatory compound. For many years, colloidal oat baths have been known to soothe and relieve poison ivy skin reactions through theirantihistamine activities most likely due to presence of Avns with their anti-inflammatory properties.Curcumin, a natural polyphenol present in turmeric spice, is another natural bioactive compound, which has been suggested to have several biological activities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic activities. Curcumin, in addition to suppressing tumor growth, may also modulate adiposity, body weight gain, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.We examined the effect of curcumin on angiogenesis, pre-adipocyte growth, lipid accumulation in adipocytes and macrophages, differentiation, apoptosis, and gene expression involved in lipid and energy metabolismin cell culture systems as well as on body weight gain and adiposity in C57/BL mice and LDLr-/- mice fed high fat diets supplemented with 500-1, 500 mg curcumin/kg diet for 12-16 wks. Curcumin, in a dosedependent manner, suppressed adipocyte differentiation and caused apoptosis. It also inhibited adipokineinduced angiogenesis of HUVEC and accumulation of lipids in adipocytes and macrophages. Supplementing the high fat diet of mice with curcumin did not affect food intake, but it did reduce body weight gain, hepatosteatosis, adiposity, and microvessel density in adipose tissue, which coincided with reduced expression of VEGF and its receptor VEGFR-2. Curcumin increased AMPK phosphorylation, reduced GPAT-1, and increased CPT-1 expression, which lead to increased oxidation and decreased fatty acid esterification. The in vivo effect of curcumin on the expression of these enzymes was also confirmed by RT-PCR. In addition, dietary curcumin significantly lowered blood cholesterol, TG, FFA, glucose, and insulin levels as well as the expression of PPAR-g and C/EBP-a, two key transcription factors involved in adipogenesis and lipogenesis.Furthermore, curcumin, through suppression of aP2 expression, inhibited accumulation of lipids in adipocytes and THP-1 macrophages. In addition, curcumin reduced the expression of aP2 and CD36 in peritoneal macrophages collected from the mice fed a high fat diet supplemented with a medium dose (1, 000 mg/ kgdiet) of curcumin.At this dose, curcumin also reduced the development of fatty streaks in descending aorta and attenuated accumulation of lipid laden lesions in aortic root of LDLr-/- mice. Further, curcumin reduced liver fibrosis, which resulted from a high fat diet. In contrast, a higher dose of curcumin (1, 500 mg /kg diet) had adverse effects in several measured parameters.Our findings suggest that curcumin’s ability to suppress angiogenesis in adipose tissue, upregulate lipid metabolism, and reduce lipid accumulation in adipocytes as well as macrophages may contribute to lowerbody fat and body weight gain and to a reduction of obesity-associated inflammation and atherosclerosis.