Youth, skin, cancer prevention: the extraordinary virtues of antioxidants on health
Antioxidants, these super-protectors of health, are readily available through food. You still have to know where to look. Among the antioxidants, we find flavonoids which are very important molecules coming from plant metabolism. They are found in different parts of the plant at the level of fruits, flowers or leaves. There are more than 5000 different flavonoids, these molecules belong to the large family of phenolic compounds.
The most common flavonoids are quercetins, isoflavones, anthocyanins or catechins. The main effects of these substances are: antioxidants, venotonics, anti-inflammatories, protectors (of the vessels), cancer prevention or youthful skin. These antioxidants are recognizable to the naked eye! These are the pigments that give color to flowers and in some cases to leaves. These substances can be yellow (origin of the word flavo), red, blue or purple.
10 foods rich in antioxidant flavonoids:
1. Tea. Whether black, green or white, this plant is very rich in flavonoids. It is estimated that up to 30% of tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) contain flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol or catechins. On the other hand, processed tea-based products (eg cold tea) generally contain much less active products. Coffee is also rich in flavonoids, it contains mostly quercetins as well as chlorogenic acid.
2. Olive oil (cold pressed). Olive oil contains a small amount of flavonoids as well as other substances that are very beneficial for your health such as monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid). Please note, olive oil is relatively high in calories, to be consumed in moderation.
