My Molecular Health
The Why Behind 'Eat Fruit & Vegetables
Polyphenols are one of the most commonly occurring antioxidants we consume in our food and are found particularly in vegetables and fruits. These are compounds with multiple (poly) phenol groups, chemical ring structures with one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups attached, and called phenyl rings. Phenyl rings are very good at reacting with free radicals and deactivating their damaging reactivity. Polyphenols have diverse roles in plants, ranging from being anti-microbial, repairing damaged or diseased areas of a plant, to providing the bright red and blue colors of berries, fruits and vegetables.
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Polyphenols are further broken down into four sub-classes which are Flavonoids, Phenolic Acids, Lignans and Stilbenes. Phenolic Acids have shown potential in preventing Type II Diabetes, induce anti-diabetic effects, shows promising effectiveness against gastrointestinal, cognitive, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. Lignans have elicited significant interest due to their steroid-analogous chemical structure. Accordingly, they are considered to be phytoestrogens. Lignans are bioactive compounds exhibiting various biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor activities. Stilbene compounds are part of a vast group of natural defence polyphenols occurring in many plant species. Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a well-known polyphenol phytoalexin which is found mainly in the skin of grapes; it has attracted extensive scientific attention due to its potential health benefits related with its cardiovascular (French paradox), chemopreventive, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties.
PHENOLIC ACIDS
Phenolic acids (Pas) are aromatic carboxylic acids. They are one of the most common bioactive compounds that occur in various plants. This research paper, 'Phenolic acids: Natural versatile molecules with promising therapeutic applications' discusses the protective role of phenolic acids in degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, inflammation and many more. Section 6 focuses on phenolic acids as antioxidants, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and anticancer agents. Read the report
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LIGANS
Do you regularly consume Flax Seed, or cook with Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO) or drizzle it on your salad? This research paper published in Molecules in March of 2019 explains the science of why:
Naturally Lignan-Rich Foods:
A Dietary Tool for Health Promotion?
A quote under sectiobn 3 says "After ingestion, plant lignans are metabolized by intestinal bacteria, undergoing transformation to mammalian lignans (enterolactones and enterodiols (Figure 3)) prior to absorption [16,28]. This apparently considerably decreases the risk of diverse types of cancer, particularly of the colon, prostate and breast [16,29] "
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STILBENES
Stilbene compounds are found in grapes and berrries and there is convincing evidence these which are abundant in grapes, berries, may have a protective effect against aging-related diseases. This research paper, 'Polyphenol Stilbenes: Molecular Mechanisms of Defence against Oxidative Stress and Aging-Related Diseases' published in May 2015 studies the therapeutic potential of stilbene compounds against the most common aging-related diseases. Section 2 discusses the various plants containing stilbenes, Section 5 reviews the therapeutic potential of Stilbenes against Oxidative Stress and Age-Related Diseases Read more
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