Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are bioactive compounds found in vegeta-bles, fruits, cereal grains, and plant-based beverages such as tea and wine. About 10,000 different phytochemicals have been identified, and many still remain unknown.
Based on their chemical structure, phytochemicals can be broken into the following groups:
Phenolic acids.
Stilbenes/Lignans.
Flavonoids: Anthocyanins, Flavones, Flavonones, Isoflavones/ Flavonols / Flavanols.
Flavanols : Catechins and Epicatechins / Proanthocyanidins.
Proanthocyanidins: Procyanidins / Prodelphinidins.
​
Flavonoids make up the largest class of phytochemicals. In general, flavonoids can play an important role in decreasing disease risk through various physiologic mechanisms. Some of these include antiviral, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
Plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains, contain several bioactive phytochemicals which may decrease the risk of chronic diseases. The health effects attributed to the consumption of phytochemicals are primarily due to the synergistic actions of bioactive dietary components which include micronutrients and phytochemicals. It is largely accepted that the addictive effects of the combination of various phytochemicals in whole plant-based foods are shown to have stronger protective actions than single, isolated phytochemical compounds.
