When you next take a bite of your favourite fruit or vegetable, you will be taking in a whole bunch of plant chemicals called phytonutrients that your body needs to thrive. Phytonutrients literally mean ‘nutrients from plants’ that do not come under the umbrella term of vitamins and minerals.
Nature’s phytonutrients are also found in herbs, spices and some grains, they are produced by the plant to help protect them from fungi, bacteria, sunlight (radiation) and disease. Eating a diet rich in plant foods has been associated with many health benefits including a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.
Whilst many phytonutrients have been discovered, it is likely nature has more to reveal, at present there are said to be more than 10,000 identified.
Some of the families of phytonutrients that are commonly known include carotenoids, phenolic acids, lignans, ellagic acid, curcuminoids, bioflavonoids and more. Whilst these categories appear separate, plants do contain multiple phytonutrients and therefore various combined health benefits.
Bioflavonoids are a major group that are found abundantly in our plant kingdom and are used interchangeably with the term flavonoids. They are found together within their polyphenol family including, flavonols, flavones, flavanols, flavanones and isoflavonoids. Anthocyanidins are also part of the bioflavonoid family.
What foods contain bioflavonoids?
Our main sources of bioflavonoids which vary in concentration are found in food such as apples, tomatoes, berries, red cabbage, onions, broccoli, kale, parsley, leeks, red wine, beets, aubergines citrus fruits, soybeans, and more.
Bioflavonoid groups have the capacity to act as potent antioxidants and therefore help to protect our cells from oxidative damage caused by the production of free radicals during normal cellular metabolism. We also create them in response to environmental exposures such as toxins and pollution, with excessive exercise, smoking, chronic stress, alcohol, and processed foods.
Not only do they neutralise free radicals, bioflavonoids have many other therapeutic benefits which include anti-inflammatory, antiviral as well as anti-cancer activities.
Quercetin
One bioflavonoid that has gained popularity is Quercetin due to its known and potential health benefits, it is naturally found in red onions, capers, apples, citrus fruits, grapes, kale, peppers, cherries, green tea , broccoli and other brassicas.
The bioflavonoid Quercetin may be a relative newcomer on the supplement shelf, however, the quercetin market is now estimated to be worth $3.96b by 2032.
Quercetin, not only comes with the same gifts as the rest of the bioflavonoid family, but it has also been shown to have antihypertensive, anti-obesity, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and vasodilator effects and is widely used for the treatment of metabolic and inflammatory disorders as well as cardiovascular disease prevention.
If you frequently have to navigate through the misery of hay fever each year, you may want to consider supplementing with quercetin as it has anti-allergic properties that can regulate the immune system and inhibit histamine production. I have found many clients respond so well to Allergy Research Quercetin Bioflavonoids that it helps them reduce the need to take a regular anti-histamine.
Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
Another group of bioflavonoids known as Citrus bioflavonoids have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore may help in the prevention of neurodegenerative decline.
Citrus fruits have long been known for their antioxidant and immune potential and their rich source of Vitamin C. They also contain natural levels of bioflavonoids found within the plants combined with ascorbic acid, the natural form of Vitamin C in fruits and vegetables. Bioflavonoids have been shown to protect Vitamin C from oxidation and may enhance its absorption.
Bioflavonoid supplements
Many of my clients have a preference for a supplement that includes Bioflavonoids especially the Allergy Research Esterol which combines 3 potent bioflavonoids, quercetin, rutin and proanthocyanidins along with a buffered form of ascorbate acid (Vitamin C) can minimise any digestive distress which some individuals experience with pure ascorbic acid.
The next time you walk past the fruit and vegetable aisles in your supermarket or in a local market, you will find the family of bioflavonoids proudly displaying their kaleidoscope of colours. Their vibrant hues of shades of green, orange, purple, red, blue, white, and yellow remind us all of the incredible power our plant foods contain.