You can get bioflavonoids from the produce section in the supermarket. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with them, but do make sure to buy mostly fresh so that you get the most nutrients because by the time you’ve purchased the produce, it would have lost a percent of vitamins already.
It’s natural for fruits and veggies to lose nutrients once they’ve been plucked from the soil or picked from the tree, so if you can eat locally grown and freshly picked food, that is going to maximize the nutritional value and the benefits that bioflavonoids provide.
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Understanding what bioflavonoids are.
The compounds that we call bioflavonoids exist in about 4000 varieties. These compounds are essentially that which makes fruits and veggies so colorful – they are pigments that have the ability to treat and prevent health conditions.
Bioflavonoids are currently classified into four categories.
We have proanthocyanidins also called PCOs, which are found in:
- grape seed, red wine, black tea, green tea, cranberry, bilberry, grape skin, pine bark, and in many other plants.
Then there is quercetin, the most active of bioflavonoids and found in:
- red wine, berries, apples, green tea, Ginkgo biloba, onions, and buckwheat tea among other foods.
The third category is of citrus bioflavonoids, and the fourth are green tea polyphenols. All of these compounds have distinct beneficial effects, providing protection against free radical damage and having an antioxidant effect on the body stronger than vitamin C, vitamin e, zinc and selenium.
The beneficial effects of bioflavonoids
Bioflavonoids have been shown to improve certain health conditions and prevent negative reactions to viruses, carcinogens and allergens, making them a group of very important compounds for better health.
Here are some of the health conditions that these supplements can fight.
Capillary fragility – proanthocyanidins can decrease capillary fragility in people with hypertension and diabetes, strengthening capillaries and inhibiting the destruction of collagen, which is an essential component of capillary walls.
When taken with vitamin C, PCOs positive effects for increasing capillary strength are elevated.
PCO’s are also beneficial in heart diseases, ageing, inflammation, allergies, infections, and various types of cancer.
Respiratory viruses and common cold – quercetin fights against viral illness and is most effective in treating upper respiratory tract infections, with studies also showing that it may be of the most benefit in treating the common cold.
A powerful antioxidant, quercetin is beneficial for treating diabetes as well. The nutrient enhances insulin secretion and protects pancreatic beta cells from free radical damage.
Allergies and inflammation – citrus bioflavonoids complement the positive effects on the body of quercetin by providing antioxidant benefits of their own.
These compounds can lower the effects of different types of allergies and smooth symptoms out, such as indigestion, runny noses, coughs, and watery eyes also providing beneficial effects on blood flow.
Cancer – green tea polyphenols have the most potent antioxidant effect and because of their ability to inhibit formation of cancer causing compounds, they are mainly used to prevent cancer.
Main sources of bioflavonoids
You can get bioflavonoids from fruits, vegetable and herbs, also with consuming chocolate, green tea, and red wine in moderation.
It would be useful to know that the biggest concentration of bioflavonoids is found in the skin of food and the outer portions, so a great alternative to raw fruits and veggies are fruit and veggie powders.
Grape skin, powder, for example, is recognized as a super ingredient packed with nutrients.
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As for bioflavonoids rich herbs, consume more fresh oregano, thyme, parsley and peppermint. A great choice of nuts and seeds include pistachios, pecans, cashews and walnuts.