My last blog covered the topic of Prebiotics and Probiotics for gut health. Well, polyphenol rich foods are also really beneficial for our gut health. Kirsty McCaul is my guest writer for this blog and she is informing us all about polyphenols. Take it away Kirsty…
What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are described as organic chemicals that display an array of various biological functions. They are simply micronutrients packed with antioxidants found in plants and plant-based foods that help your body manage inflammation and protect us from oxidative stress. Structurally they are characterised by the presence of multiple phenol units. These compounds are critical for the plants defence -mechanism against ultraviolet radiation and pathogens. They are present in foods, dietary supplements and drugs. Many have found pharmacological effects and are used in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. While they are seen as antioxidants, they are also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Amazingly, there are thought to be more than 8000 polyphenols currently identified, with many different kinds.
What do polyphenols do?
Polyphenols have a wide range of benefits when it comes to your health
• Amazing for supporting your heart as they support endothelium strength which is a membrane that lines the blood vessels making sure that your vessels contract and relax properly and maintain your blood pressure
• As we know, polyphenols contain antioxidants. Oxidative stress can play havoc on your cells as you grow older, research shows that a polyphenol rich diet may reduce the damage caused to cells and may help protect you against age related issues
• Support the regulation of the growth of new blood vessels making sure that your body produces just the right amount of them as you don’t want too little or too many
• It has been said that they keep your brain healthy and functioning well and can improve cerebral blood flow in your brain, in a study, data showed that when healthy adults took an effective polyphenol supplement, they experienced improved cognitive function, including memory, learning skills, and reactive time
• May help us maintain and healthy and balanced microbiome by helping good bacteria to thrive while helping to defend us from the bad ones
A healthy microbiome can have many positive effects on almost all aspects of our health from improved digestion to better brain function
Foods high in polyphenols tend to be high in fibre too, this fibre helps to fuel good bacteria in our body and promote better digestion
What foods are a good source of polyphenols?
There are many foods that you most likely consume daily that are rich in polyphenols .
Some of the best sources are:
• Berries which are low in calories high in vitamin c and fibre making them an easy addition to your diet
• Herbs and spices, specifically cloves, peppermint and star anise which all offer a range of nutrients like calcium magnesium and potassium
• Cacoa powder which is full of flavonoids and antioxidants, dark chocolate is also beneficial but polyphenol amount is reduced when it has been heat treated or processed making dark chocolate much higher in polyphenols than milk chocolate.
• Vegetables are full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and full of polyphenols. The best sources of polyphenols in vegetables include red onion, artichoke, spinach and shallots
• Nuts are a great source of protein, fibre and essential fatty acids while also being rich in polyphenols, chestnuts came out with the highest amount of polyphenols but hazelnuts, pecans and almonds are all excellent sources as well.
How much do you need?
The Dietary guidelines recommend adults get 3 servings per day of vegetables like peas beans and lentils. As these foods are high in polyphenols, you will most likely be getting a decent amount once you include plenty of these foods in your diet.
Supplements
You can purchase polyphenols as supplements and they come in two forms, resveratrol and quercetin. Research shows that these supplements are not as beneficial of a source as polyphenol rich foods would be.
Final Word
Foods high in polyphenols are some of the healthiest foods we can consume eg. Fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.
The polyphenols themselves have a wide range of various health benefits and are amazing at supporting a healthy lifestyle.
Try to include as many of these foods in your diet as possible to enjoy all of the benefits mentioned above!
Note from Lyn – My thanks to Kirsty for her hard work researching and writing this blog! You can also listen in to an episode on Alimentary! more about polyphenols here.
Other Resources
https://www.hollandandbarret.com
https://www.healthline.com
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food
https://www.gundrymd.com
https://www.webmd.com
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35694805/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23521491/
Written by Kirsty McCaul
Photo by Canva