Polyphenols: What They Are, Why They Work, & How to Eat More of Them
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By: Amanda Suazo
Your love for coffee, dark chocolate, and even red wine can be good for you. That’s because these foods are rich in polyphenols, plant compounds that work to fight aging and inflammation in your body.
Polyphenols are what gives many fruits and veggies their vibrant colors. You need a variety of them from different sources to keep your gut, brain, and heart strong — so you can’t just pick up a chocolate bar or iced latte and call it a day. With the right approach, you can fine-tune your polyphenol intake to kick your performance into high gear.
Learn more about the key benefits of polyphenols, where to find them, and how to get more of them in your life.
Polyphenols are a class of phytochemicals (a fancy word for chemical compounds in plants). These naturally-occurring compounds help protect plants from predators like UV rays, insects, and pollution. You can find them in a variety of fruits and vegetables like leafy greens and blueberries, as well as in beans and grains.
Unlike other protective plant compounds that may be harmful, polyphenols are beneficial to your health and can play a role in reducing inflammation, keeping blood sugar in check, and encouraging good bacteria in your gut.
There are over 500 known polyphenols classified into four main categories based on their chemical structure:
Flavonoids and phenolic acids make up most of the polyphenol intake in your diet. Stilbenes and lignans are less common, with one notable exception: Resveratrol, the stilbene found in red wine.
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Some plants have more polyphenols than others. For best results, choose foods with fewer antinutrients or risk for mold:
You can get too much of a good thing when it comes to polyphenols. In large doses, they can impair thyroid function, disrupt hormones, or inhibit iron absorption.[9]. Allergies or other medical conditions can influence how your body uses them, too.
If you take statins or anti-anxiety medications, your doctor may have told you to avoid certain foods. That’s because some polyphenols, such as those in grapefruit juice, interact negatively with these drugs. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns with how your diet affects your medication regimen.
What’s the best dose of polyphenols? The answer is tricky, since the vitamins, fiber, and nutrients in food can affect how well your body absorbs them. The Bulletproof Diet offers a good baseline for how many servings of fruit and vegetables will help you get a daily dose of a wide variety of polyphenols — plus, a broad-spectrum polyphenol supplement can help fill in the gaps.
Here are other steps you can take to get more polyphenols in your day:
Need more inspiration? Try polyphenol-rich recipes like strawberry cod ceviche, chocolate ice cream, or a green lemon smoothie.
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About Amanda Suazo
Amanda Suazo is a copywriter and food blogger from northern California. An avid Bulletproof fan from the diet’s early days, she holds an MBA in marketing from the University of Washington. When she’s not working, you can find her chasing her kids (and probably serving them buttered veggies).
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