Phytochemicals are chemicals found in all plants. They protect the plants from bacteria, viruses, fungi and the ultraviolet of the sun and they protect us as well. More than 1,000 phytochemicals have been identified and there are more yet to be discovered. There are different phytochemicals in each type of plant foods that protect us from health issues like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's to name a few.
| What are phytochemicals? Phytochemicals are healthy compounds found in all plants. They are the antioxidants, flavonoids, phytochemicals, flavones, isoflavones, and catechins that are so healthy for us. Which is why eating plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, potatoes, and whole grains are so healthy for us. |
Phytochemicals and Anti-Aging Studies
Every once in a while we hear about a certain food or supplement that will turn back the clock, an anti-aging food or a new super-food. It might be goji berries, foods with resveratrol or blueberries. In a sense they are super-foods. What they have in common, is that they all contain a large number of phytochemicals.
It has been proven that a mainly plant-based diet that is full of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains can extend health and life.
Telomeres protect our DNA by acting as buffers at the ends of chromosomes. In a way, you can picture them as the plastic at the end of your shoelaces. As you age they become frayed and broken. Studies found that by eating plenty of foods with all of these healthy phytochemicals, our telomeres can be repaired [1,2].
It was found that in just three months of eating a whole food plant-based diet, 500 genes changed. A plant-based diet was found to turn ON genes that prevent disease and turn OFF genes that cause breast cancer, heart disease, prostate cancer, and other illnesses [3].
The Different Types of Phytochemicals
Antioxidants. Most phytochemicals have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage. Oxidative damage to our cells is linked to many diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. Oxidative damage is caused by oxygen.
For example, when you cut an apple and leave it out, exposing it to the oxygen in the air, it turns brown; that is oxidative damage. If you had put lemon juice on this cut-open apple, it wouldn’t have turned brown like that, because lemon is an antioxidant to the apple cells.
Oxidation sometimes produces what are known as free radicals that can cause damage to cells. When you hear of a "free radical scavenger", this means something that finds and gets rid of these free radicals.
Oxidation is a normal process, so we need antioxidants to balance out this process. Free radicals can cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, cataracts, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Flavonoids (bioflavonoids) are antioxidant phytochemicals. Some have as much as 50 times more antioxidant activity than vitamin C and E, and red grapes are more than a thousand times more powerful than vitamin E as an antioxidant.
Flavonoids have been reported to have anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-allergic and anti-platelet benefits. Flavonoids are found in fruits, vegetables, wine, green tea, onions, apples, kale, and beans. Here is a list of the more common flavonoids.
- Quercetin protects the lungs from pollution and cigarette smoke, reduces inflammation from allergies and inhibits the growth of head and neck cancers. Quercetin is found in apples, pears, cherries, red wine, grapes, kale, onions, garlic, lettuce, and green tea.
- Anthocyanins protect against aging. Studies with blueberries have shown that anthocyanins might improve balance, coordination and short-term memory. Cranberries have been shown to prevent urinary tract infections. Anthocyanins are mainly found in blueberries, cranberries, cherries, strawberries, kiwi, and plums.
- Reservatrol could reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and stroke. Reservatrol has been found to reduce the growth of cancer cells and could possibly aid in changing malignant cells back to normal cells. It is found in red wine, red grapes, and red grape juice.
- Catechins have been found to inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus infections. Studies have shown catechins can reduce the rate of stomach and lung cancer, prevent DNA damage, prevent gum disease and caries and retard the onset of atherosclerosis.
Studies in Japan with green tea have shown that catechins can cause people to lose body fat. Foods high in catechins are green teas, grapes, grape juice, wine, and especially red wine. - Tangeretin may help prevent cancers of the head and neck, lowers cholesterol and has neuroprotective properties, which can help with Parkinson disease. It is found in citrus fruits and citrus juices such as lemons, limes, tangelos, grapefruit, mandarins, and oranges.
Carotenoids are what give vegetables the bright red, yellow, orange and dark green colors. Carotenoids are also very powerful antioxidants and contain anti-cancer and anti-aging properties.
Carotenoids also stimulate cell-to-cell communications, which is important for maintaining cells and keeping cells from turning cancerous.
The carotenoids alpha and beta-carotene convert into vitamin A in the body and enhance the immune system. Large doses of vitamin A can be harmful to you, but you cannot get too many carotenoids from plant foods.
- Alpha-carotene is more powerful than beta-carotene when it comes to inhibiting tumor growth and protects the skin, eyes, liver, and lungs against cell damage. It is found in cooked carrots, carrot juice, and pumpkins.
- Beta-carotene, like alpha-carotene, it is an antioxidant cleaning the body of the free radicals. Beta-carotene is also believed to promote a healthy reproductive system in women. A meta-analysis showed that beta-carotene could protect the skin against sunburn. It also keeps the eyes healthy, preventing night blindness and general health of the eyes.
Studies have shown that women with the highest blood levels of beta-carotene had an 80% reduction in cervical cancer. Foods include carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, collards, kale, winter squash and cabbage [4]. - Lutein is a strong antioxidant that protects the eyes against macular degeneration. It also reduces the clogging of the arteries. Foods high in Lutein include spinach, collard greens, kale, summer squash, and most other greens.
- Lycopene has become commonly known for reducing the risk of prostate cancer. It has many other benefits as a powerful antioxidant, it protects against stomach, lung, colon and skin cancers. Lycopene has been found to be an antibacterial and an antifungal, reducing gum disease and Candida albicans.
Lycopene helps protect against vascular disease and infections in people with diabetes. It is also an anti-toxic and may protect against toxins like cadmium, aflatoxin, and cyclosporine. Foods high in lycopene include anything with tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes into paste, soups or sauces releases more lycopene. Other foods are watermelon, guava, pink grapefruit, and red oranges.
Foods with these phytochemicals are the cruciferous vegetables including cabbage, radishes, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, turnips, and cauliflower. These groups of phytochemicals are powerful cancer fighters.
Isoflavones are converted to plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) and may help to inhibit the growth of hormone-dependent cancers.
An isoflavone from soy is genistein, which has anticancer and antioxidant properties and can only be found in soy foods such as miso, soymilk, and tofu. They also help to protect us against heart disease, lower cholesterol, and to ease menopausal symptoms.
Phenolic Acids include capsaicin. This is the chili pepper family of vegetables. These can relieve symptoms of arthritis and improve flexibility. It also protects the stomach membranes and can protect against certain ulcers.
There are many other phytochemicals including alkaloids, coumestans, hydroxycinnamic acids, lignans, coumarins, curcumins, monophenols, monoterpenes, phytosterols, saponins, triterpenoids, and xanthophylls.
Conclusion
The best way to be healthy and avoid health issues is to eat a wide variety of plant foods. When eating grains, always eat whole grains because refined grains have far fewer phytochemicals.
Copyright © 2009-2019 Sam Montana
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
References:
[3] Live Love Fruit - Vegan Diet Causes More Than 500 Genes to Change in 3 Months
[4] PubMed - Wylie-Rosett JA, Romney SL, Slagle NS, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Miller GL, Palan PR, Lucido DJ, Duttagupta C. Influence of vitamin A on cervical dysplasia and carcinoma in situ. Nutr Cancer. 1984;6(1):49-57. doi: 10.1080/01635588509513806. PMID: 6545570.
[4] Oxford Journals - K. Brock et al, “Nutrients in Diet and Plasma and Risk of In Situ Cervical Cancer, “Journal of the National Cancer Institute 80 (1988): 580-585
The Linus Pauling Institute / Phytochemicals
