The importance of polyphenols and flavonoids

The most versatile “food medicines”
Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plants and plant foods. For a long time, they were considered “useless” nutrients that had no function and were not essential for health. However, a lack of polyphenols in the diet is a significant cause of many health problems and diseases.
These special phytochemicals have such diverse medicinal properties that they are increasingly being used as both dietary supplements and medicines.

Polyphenols affect all body processes

Polyphenols are best known as antioxidants and anti- inflammatories, but they affect all body systems. They act on all metabolic, neurological, hormonal and immuno- logical processes in the body and therefore have a very broad preventive and therapeutic effect (Leri M, 2020; Ding S, 2018; Blaze J, 2018).

There is no disease that cannot be improved to a greater or lesser extent by a high intake of polyphenols.

Flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes and others

The largest, best known and most studied group of poly- phenols are the flavonoids (flavones, flavanols, flavano- nes, flavonols and isoflavones). More than 8,000 different polyphenols have been discovered, of which about 4,000 are flavonoids. Flavonoids are abundant in vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, cocoa, green and black tea, spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa, and many other plants.

Other known polyphenols include phenolic acids, lignans, tannins, and stilbenes (such as resveratrol). Curcuminoids (from turmeric) and gingerols (from ginger) are also often considered polyphenols.

At the end of this booklet you will find a nice overview of the different types of polyphenols and their main dietary sources.

Vraag brochure aan

Also interesting for you

Heart

Vitamin K: nutrition or supplementation?

The best way to prevent or correct a vitamin K deficiency, is to eat plenty of vitamin K1-rich foods, especially green leafy vegetables and brassicas such as kale, broccoli...

Heart

The importance of vitamin K for a healthy gut, and vice versa

Intestinal (inflammatory) diseases and gut dysbiosis can contribute to vitamin K deficiency by decreasing absorption, increasing consumption, and reducing vitamin K production by...

Heart

Vitamin K: the prevention of “age-related diseases”

Vitamin K is a remarkable nutrient that has long received little attention because it was thought to be needed only for blood clotting, but it turns out to be essential for several...

Stress

Resveratrol: a remarkable “anti-aging” nutrient

Resveratrol is a polyphenol found primarily in grapes, berries and peanuts. It is known as a nutrient that inhibits the aging process and keeps the body “young”. This is due to its...