By
Dr. Joseph Mercola
with
Rachael Droege
Flavonoids. You’ve heard the word mentioned, and you know
that they’re supposed to be good for you, but what are they
really and what do they do?
Flavonoids are natural chemicals found in plants, fruits and vegetables.
They’re actually the largest group of several thousand compounds
belonging to the antioxidant-rich polyphenol family. Flavonoids
are further broken down into subclasses that you have likely heard
of such as anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, flavanones and flavanols.
These terms, along with flavonoid and polyphenols (also called phytochemicals),
are often used interchangeably in the literature, but they broken
into these different groups because they have varying chemical structures.
While all flavonoids are antioxidants, some have stronger antioxidant
properties than others, depending on their chemical structure.
The chemical nature of polyphenols is still being explored, but
research has shown very clearly that these compounds, and particularly
the flavonoids, have many health-promoting properties. As written
in The
Antioxidant Miracle, flavonoids:
- Improve memory and concentration and are used to treat attention
deficit disorder
- Are powerful free radical scavengers that can boost the effectiveness
of vitamin C in the antioxidant network
- Regulate nitric oxide, a potent free radical that is a regulator
of blood flow
- Keep your heart healthy in three important ways: They prevent
blood clots, protect against oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol,
and lower high blood pressure
- Improve sexual function in men
- Reduce inflammation and bolster immune function
If this doesn’t convince you of their value, consider that
flavonoids may also help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s
disease, relieve chronic fatigue syndrome and slow down aging.
Flavonoids are present in most all vegetables,
including onions, broccoli and greens, as well as fruits such as
apples, grapes and blueberries. Berries are one of the most-concentrated
sources of flavonoids--be sure to read the article on berries below
for more information. Blueberries in particular have been rated
#1 in antioxidant capacity by the USDA, and we now carry delicious
and convenient Wild Blueberry
IQ Softgel Capsules in our store that are made from whole fresh
blueberries -- and contain 40mg of potent disease fighting anthocyanins
per capsule -- more than any other available supplement!
If you want to add a healthy dose of flavonoids to your diet, and
who wouldn’t, I’d suggest making vegetable
juice with a few added blueberries (do be careful not to eat
too many blueberries at once, due to their sugar content). This
should be more than sufficient to fortify your body with these health-promoting
nutrients.
I suspect, however, that many of you are not making vegetable juice
or eating large quantities of vegetables. I understand that many
rush through their day and often don’t spend the time it takes
to prepare quality food for themselves. If this is the case for
you, I’d encourage you to reevaluate your priorities, as your
own, and your family’s, health should be way up there on your
list.
For those who are concerned they’re not getting their nutrients
from food, there is an option that I recommend and that is Living
Fuel Rx Super Greens and Living
Fuel Rx Super Berry. These nutrient-rich superfoods come in
powder form made from food-derived compounds and are the closest
thing to real food that I have found, plus both varieties are rich
in flavonoids. It is especially useful while traveling, but, again,
if you’re not eating healthy foods for whatever reason, adding
Living Fuel Rx to your diet may be a wise choice.
Related Articles:
Berries--The Best Overall
Fruits for Your Health
Is Red Wine Really Good for
Your Health?
Is it OK to Eat Chocolate?
Plant Compounds Eradicate
Disease
How Juicing Grape Seeds Can
Benefit Your Health
More Antioxidants in
Organic Food Than Conventionally Grown Food
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