Excellent Sources of Flavonoids & Its Health Benefits
The term flavonoid is used often when talking about health benefits of certain fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids or bioflavonoids are terms used to classify over 500 different compounds.
Flavonoids are polyphenol antioxidants found naturally in plants. In fact, flavonoids are what give plants their vibrant colors and provide important protection from certain insects and microbes.
Flavonoids, originally named ‘vitamin P," were first discovered by Nobel winning biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgi. Szent-Gyorgi discovered flavonoids ability to enhance important functions of vitamin C.
Flavonoids are grouped into sub-classes. There are 5 sub-groups of flavonoids:
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Flavonols.
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Flavones.
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Catechins.
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Anthocyannis.
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Isoflavones.
Health Benefits of Flavonoids
Evidence substantiating the remarkable benefits of flavonoids point to its antioxidant components, anti-inflammatory, and cancer fighting properties as the main reasons flavonoids are good for your health.
Although the antioxidant content of flavonoids is not extraordinarily high it’s thought that they increase antioxidant activity significantly by an increase in uric acid levels in the body.
Flavonoids also are powerful weapons in the fight against free radical damage to the cells. Free radical damage leads to a host of problems including premature aging, degenerative diseases, and cancers.
Further evidence suggests that flavonoids trigger the production of certain naturally occurring enzymes in the body which enhance the body’s ability to fight various diseases.
Flavonoids have been found to be particularly helpful with certain ailments.
A few of the health problems flavonoids help prevent include:
- Heart Disease
- Certain cancers
- Age related degenerative diseases
- Tooth Decay
- Flu’s and colds
Flavonoids have been found to have a gentle, positive action on the following parts of the body:
- Heart
- Blood Vessels
- Liver
- Immune system
- Connective tissue
- Adrenal glands
- Kidneys
- Nervous system
- Musculature system
How to Add Flavonoids to Your Diet
It’s recommended to increase your intake of flavonoids by eating more foods known to contain higher levels of flavonoids. Supplements are not a good source and, as always, the best source is the original, natural source.
Potent Sources of Flavonoids:
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Tea
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Red Wine
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Blueberries
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Red beans
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Cranberries
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Blackberries
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Certain nuts and seeds
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Red, green, and yellow fruits and vegetables
Herbs Containing Flavonoids:
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Milk thistle
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Hawthorn
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Echinacea
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Billberry
Three of the most popular sources of flavonoids are quercetin, grape seed extract, and green tea extract.
Quercetin is the most active of all the flavonoids and is found readily in apple peels.
When you consider steps to take to improve your daily health and prevent future health ailments being certain to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds is vital. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will insure you have the right amount of flavonoids in your diet to enhance your health and protect you from disease.