Phytochemicals And What They Are to You

Phytochemicals also known as phytonutrients, are simple chemical compounds naturally occurring in plants and considered beneficial to human health. They are not needed in large quantities. A large deficiency in phytochemical compounds, can lead to severe health hazards, while many contribute to good health. Some This important chemical has already demonstrated benefits in the treatment or the risk avoidance of many diseases, such as Lutein (macular degeneration and cataracts), Lycopene from tomatoes (cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer) and Diindolylmethane from the Brassica family - cabbage, broccoli etc - (human papilloma virus, some forms of cancer). Medical research continues on many other health uses, and has so far provided encouraging results. It should be remembered that many staple drugs in use today, also come from natural sources. The most used drug on earth, Aspirin, was originally based on the salicin contained in the white willow tree, well known as an anti-inflammatory agent . Medicinal use of compounds rich in salicylic acid have been in use for thousands of years, while new use, such as preventing heart attacks, have now been devised. Thus, while little study is availabe in a final form on individual compound, it is generally accepted that food rich in these compounds and micronutrients are essential to health. Since modern food processing, including cooking and packaging, can denature or remove phytochemicals from plant food, it is thought best to maintain a diet rich in unprocessed or raw fruits and vegetables. Because of plant food processing a modern diet may be lacking in these multiple compounds.

Foods with these important chemicals are those such as:

Broccoli

Soy and Cacao Beans

Nuts and Fruits such as grapes, cranberry, oranges,tomatoes, broccoli

While a balanced diet rich in unprocessed food is by far the best solution, the use of natural or industrially-produced dietary supplements containing micronutrients and phytochemicals is recommended to anyone without the ability to make such a change in lifestyle. Anyone who already eats a carefully balanced selection of natural product may think of dietary supplements as a useless luxury. Hoever, the concentration of micronutrients in plant food are intimately linked to the quality and nature of the soil in which the plant has been culture. But since current agricultural practices have led to specialization, with a single area often growing a substantial percentage of a produces in any market, careful attention should be given to the bio-availability of phytochemicals in one’s diet. Diversity in the produces selected can easily compensate for this potential pitfall.