Have you ever heard the term "polyphenol"? Polyphenols are chemical compounds found in many natural and some synthetic foods. These so-called "secondary plant compounds" are the colour, scent and flavour substances in plants. Thanks to their positive properties for the human body, they have recently been attracting increasing attention from science and the health sector.
What Are Polyphenols?
Secondary plant compounds are part of our daily diet. They are found in vegetables, fruit, olive oil, legumes, nuts, dark chocolate and wholegrain products, and give plant-based foods their colour. For plants they act as defence substances against predators or microbial attack and also work as growth regulators.
According to current knowledge, secondary plant compounds are not essential nutrients for humans (such as vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, starch and sugar), but they do influence a large number of metabolic processes. The term "secondary" therefore does not mean they are less important – it simply serves to distinguish them from primary plant substances.
Good to know
To date, about 100,000 different secondary plant compounds are known, of which 5,000 to 10,000 occur in human food.
The Four Main Categories of Polyphenols
Coffee, tea, wholegrain products, wine and nuts.
Apples, pears, grapes, cherries, plums, berries, onion, kale, soy, black and green tea.
Mainly in flaxseed, cereals and wholegrain products.
Cereals, legumes, soybeans and flaxseed.
Polyphenols Act as Antioxidants
Anyone looking into healthy nutrition inevitably comes across the term "antioxidant". Foods with this property are considered particularly healthy because they help in the fight against "free radicals". These aggressive oxygen molecules arise through the body's own metabolic processes or external influences.
The problem: UV rays, the blue light of phones, tablets and PC screens, inflammation or stress hormones promote the formation of these molecules. When the body is "flooded" with too many free radicals, doctors speak of oxidative stress. Free radicals damage the genetic material of healthy cells, attack the body's own proteins and thus accelerate ageing processes of all kinds.
The good news: antioxidants help to render free radicals harmless – they literally catch the unwelcome metabolic products. Among the secondary plant compounds, many polyphenols are convincing. The antioxidant effect of anthocyanins is particularly highlighted.
Rich in anthocyanins
Acai berry, aronia, cherries, aubergines, blue grapes, blueberries, red cabbage and red wine are particularly rich in anthocyanins.
Did you know?
Studies show that women with high levels of antioxidants in their blood look noticeably younger for their age and have visibly and measurably fewer wrinkles.1
Polyphenols in Your Daily Diet
Secondary plant compounds are protective substances for the body. A high intake through plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer and other conditions.2
Although no single secondary plant compound can be said to reduce the risk of disease on its own, the positive effect of a plant-based diet is undisputed. Through plant-based foods we take in several thousand different secondary plant compounds – and it may be precisely the interplay of various substances within a food that is decisive.
How to take in plenty of polyphenols
- Eat a varied and colourful diet with seasonal fruit and vegetables – both raw and cooked.
- Include plenty of wholegrain products, legumes, nuts, seeds and potatoes in your meal plan.
- Reach for intensely coloured foods such as berries, red cabbage, grapes or aubergines.
Green Health IMMUN-AKTIV PLUS
Supplement with vitamin C, zinc and cistus extract to support your immune system – as a complement to a varied, plant-based diet.
Discover product1 Fessler, B. Gebt Falten keine Chance! CME 9, 26 (2012). 2 DGE aktuell: Secondary plant compounds and their effects on health (06/2015).
Note: This article is for general information only and does not replace medical or nutritional advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, plant-based diet.