While there is ample evidence to indicate the health benefits of diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts, no specific food has been acknowledged by scientists and government regulatory authorities as providing a health benefit. Current medical research is focused on whether health effects could be due to specific essential nutrients or phytochemicals.^[1]

The following is a list of phytochemicals present in commonly consumed foods.

Terpenoids (isoprenoids)[edit]

Carotenoids (tetraterpenoids)[edit]

Carotenes[edit]

orange pigments

• α-Carotene – to vitamin A, in carrots, pumpkins, maize, tangerine, orange.
• β-Carotene – to vitamin A, in dark, leafy greens and red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.
• γ-Carotene – to vitamin A,
• δ-Carotene
• Lycopene – Vietnam Gac, tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, guava, apricots, carrots, autumn olive.
• Neurosporene
• Phytofluene – star fruit, sweet potato, orange.
• Phytoene – sweet potato, orange.

Xanthophylls[edit]

yellow pigments.

• Canthaxanthin – paprika.
• Cryptoxanthin to vitamin A, in – mango, tangerine, orange, papaya, peaches, avocado, pea, grapefruit, kiwi.
• Zeaxanthin – wolfberry, spinach, kale, turnip greens, maize, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, oranges.
• Astaxanthin – microalge, yeast, krill, shrimp, salmon, lobsters, and some crabs
• Lutein – spinach, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, mango, papaya, oranges, kiwi, peaches, squash, brassicates, prunes, sweet potatoes, honeydew melon, rhubarb, plum, avocado, pear, cilantro.
• Rubixanthin – rose hips.

Triterpenoid[edit]

• Saponins – soybeans, beans, other legumes, maize, alfalfa.
• Oleanolic acid – American pokeweed, honey mesquite, garlic, java apple, cloves, and many other Syzygium species.
• Ursolic acid – apples, basil, bilberries, cranberries, elder flower, peppermint, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, prunes.
• Betulinic acid – Ber tree, white birch, tropical carnivorous plants Triphyophyllum peltatum and Ancistrocladus heyneanus, Diospyros leucomelas a member of the persimmon family, Tetracera boiviniana, the jambul (Syzygium formosanum), chaga, and many otherSyzygium species.
• Moronic acid – Rhus javanica (a sumac), mistletoe

Monoterpenes[edit]

• Limonene – oils of citrus, cherries, spearmint, dill, garlic, celery, maize, rosemary, ginger, basil.
• Perillyl alcohol – citrus oils, caraway, mints.

Steroids[edit]

• Phytosterols – almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, whole wheat, maize, soybeans, many vegetable oils.
  • Campesterol – buckwheat.
  • beta Sitosterol – avocados, rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, fennel, peanuts, soybeans, hawthorn, basil, buckwheat.
  • gamma sitosterol
  • Stigmasterol – buckwheat.
• Tocopherols (vitamin E)

Phenolic compounds[edit]

Natural monophenols[edit]

• Apiole – parsley, celery leaf.
• Carnosol – rosemary, sage
• Carvacrol – oregano, thyme, pepperwort, wild bergamot.
• Dillapiole – dill, fennel root.
• Rosemarinol – rosemary.

Polyphenols[edit]

Flavonoids[edit]

red, blue, purple pigments

• Flavonols
  • Quercetin – red and yellow onions, tea, wine, apples, cranberries, buckwheat, beans.
  • Gingerol – ginger.
  • Kaempferol – tea, strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, grapefruit, apples, peas, brassicates (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts,cabbage), chives, spinach, endive, leek, tomatoes.
  • Myricetin – grapes, red wine, berries, walnuts.
  • Fisetin – strawberries, cucumbers – prevent Alzheimer
  • Rutin – citrus fruits, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, berries, peaches, apples, pagoda tree fruits, asparagus, buckwheat,parsley, tomatoes, apricots, rhubarb, tea.
  • Isorhamnetin – red turnip, goldenrod, mustard leaf, ginkgo biloba.
• Flavanones
  • Hesperidin – citrus fruits.
  • Naringenin – citrus fruits.
  • Silybin – blessed milk thistle.
  • Eriodictyol
• Flavones
  • Acacetin – Robinia pseudoacacia, Turnera diffusa.
  • Apigenin – chamomile, celery, parsley.
  • Chrysin – Passiflora caerulea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Oroxylum indicum.
  • Diosmetin – Vicia.
  • Tangeritin – tangerine and other citrus peels.
  • Luteolin – beets, artichokes, celery, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga, parsley, mint, chamomile, lemongrass, chrysanthemum
• Flavan-3-ols (flavanols)
  • Catechins – white tea, green tea, black tea, grapes, wine, apple juice, cocoa, lentils, black-eyed peas.
    • (+)-Catechin
    • (+)-Gallocatechin
    • (-)-Epicatechin
    • (-)-Epigallocatechin
    • (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – green tea;
    • (-)-Epicatechin 3-gallate
  • Theaflavin – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3-gallate – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3′-gallate – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate – black tea;
  • Thearubigins.
  • Proanthocyanidins.
• Flavanonols
• Anthocyanidins (flavonals) or Anthocyanins – red wine, many red, purple or blue fruits and vegetables.
  • Pelargonidin – bilberry, raspberry, strawberry.
  • Peonidin – bilberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach.
  • Cyanidin – red apple & pear, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach, plum, hawthorn, loganberry, cocoa.
  • Delphinidin – bilberry, blueberry, eggplant.
  • Malvidin – malve, bilberry, blueberry.
  • Petunidin

Isoflavonoid[edit]

• Isoflavones (phytoestrogens) use the 3-phenylchromen-4-one skeleton (with no hydroxyl group substitution on carbon at position 2).
  • Daidzein (formononetin) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, kudzu, other legumes.
  • Genistein (biochanin A) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, other legumes.
  • Glycitein – soy.
• Isoflavanes.
• Isoflavandiols.
• Isoflavenes.
• Pterocarpans or Coumestans (phytoestrogens)
• Coumestrol – red clover, alfalfa sprouts, soy, peas, brussels sprouts.

Flavonolignan[edit]

• Silymarin – artichokes, milk thistle.

Lignans[edit]

A phytoestrogens – seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy), whole grains (rye, oats, barley), bran (wheat, oat, rye), fruits (particularly berries) and vegetables.^[2]

• Matairesinol – flax seed, sesame seed, rye bran and meal, oat bran, poppy seed, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli.
• Secoisolariciresinol – flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, zucchini, blackcurrant, carrots.
• Pinoresinol and lariciresinol –^[3] sesame seed, Brassica vegetables

Stilbenoids[edit]

• Resveratrol – grape skins and seeds, wine, nuts, peanuts, Japanese Knotweed root
• Pterostilbene – grapes, blueberries
• Piceatannol – grapes
• Pinosylvin

Curcuminoids[edit]

• Curcumin – turmeric, mustard. (Oxidizes to vanillin.)

Hydrolyzable tannin[edit]

• Ellagitannins
• Punicalagins – tea, berries
• Castalagins
• Vescalagins

Aromatic acid[edit]

Phenolic acids[edit]

• Salicylic acid – peppermint, licorice, peanut, wheat.
• Vanillin – vanilla beans, cloves.
• Gallic acid – tea, mango, strawberries, rhubarb, soy.
• Ellagic acid – walnuts, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, guava, grapes.
• Tannic acid – nettles, tea, berries.

Hydroxycinnamic acids[edit]

• Caffeic acid – burdock, hawthorn, artichoke, pear, basil, thyme, oregano, apple, olive oil.
• Chlorogenic acid – echinacea, strawberries, pineapple, coffee, sunflower, blueberries.
• Cinnamic acid – cinnamon, aloe.
• Ferulic acid – oats, rice, artichoke, orange, pineapple, apple, peanut.
• Coumarin – citrus fruits, maize.

Capsaicin[edit]

chilli peppers.

Phenylethanoids[edit]

• Tyrosol – olive oil
• Hydroxytyrosol – olive oil
• Oleocanthal – olive oil
• Oleuropein – olive oil

Alkylresorcinols[edit]

wholegrain wheat, rye and barley

Glucosinolates[edit]

The precursor to isothiocyanates[edit]

• Sinigrin (the precursor to allyl isothiocyanate)- broccoli family, brussels sprouts, black mustard
• Glucotropaeolin (the precursor to benzyl isothiocyanate)
• Gluconasturtiin (the precursor to phenethyl isothiocyanate)
• Glucoraphanin (the precursor to sulforaphane) – Brassicates: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbages

Aglycone derivatives[edit]

• Dithiolthiones (isothiocyanates)
  • Sulforaphane – Brassicates: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbages
  • Allyl isothiocyanate
  • Phenethyl Isothiocyanate
  • Benzyl Isothiocyanate
• Oxazolidine-2-thiones
• Nitriles
• Thiocyanates

Organosulfides/ Organosulfur compounds[edit]

• Polysulfides (allium compounds)
  • Allyl methyl trisulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.
• Sulfides
  • Diallyl disulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.

Indoles[edit]

• Indole-3-carbinol – cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, mustard greens, broccoli.
• 3,3′-Diindolylmethane or DIM – broccoli family, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale
• Allicin – garlic
• Alliin – garlic
• Allyl isothiocyanate – horseradish, mustard, wasabi
• Piperine – black pepper
• Syn-propanethial-S-oxide – cut onions.

Betalains[edit]

• Betacyanins
  • betanin – beets, chard
  • isobetanin – beets, chard
  • probetanin – beets, chard
  • neobetanin – beets, chard
• Betaxanthins (non glycosidic versions)
  • Indicaxanthin – beets, sicilian prickly pear
  • Vulgaxanthin – beets

Chlorophylls[edit]

• Chlorophyllin

Other organic acids[edit]

• Saturated cyclic acids
  • Phytic acid – (inositol hexaphosphate) – cereals, nuts, sesame seeds, soybeans, wheat, pumpkin, beans, almonds.
  • Quinic acid

• Oxalic acid – orange, spinach, rhubarb, tea and coffee, banana, ginger, almond, sweet potato, bell pepper.
• Tartaric acid – apricots, apples, sunflower, avocado, grapes, tamarind.
• Anacardic acid – cashews, mangoes.
• Malic acid – apples
• Caftaric acid
• Coutaric acid
• Fertaric acid

Protease inhibitors[edit]

• Protease inhibitors – soy, seeds, legumes, potatoes, eggs, cereals.

See also[edit]

• Nutrient
• Essential nutrient
• List of macronutrients
• List of micronutrients
• Underweight

References[edit]

1. Jump up^ Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University
2. Jump up^ Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University
3. Jump up^ Lignan contents of Dutch plant foods: a database i…[Br J Nutr. 2005] – PubMed Result

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