Description
Polyphenols are a class of chemical compounds found in plants and plant-based foods that have many health benefits:
Antioxidant properties
Polyphenols can help counteract the accumulation of free radicals in the body, which can lead to oxidative stress and degenerative diseases.
Anti-inflammatory properties
Polyphenols can help reduce inflammation and inflammatory stress signaling in the brain.
Protective effects
Polyphenols can help protect the body from bacterial and viral infections, and degenerative diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Other health benefits
Polyphenols can also help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Polyphenols are a category of phytonutrients, which are chemical compounds in plants that provide specific health benefits. There are more than 8,000 different types of polyphenols, including: flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes.
Some examples of foods that contain polyphenols include:
Green tea, which contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Grapes and wine, which contain resveratrol
The term “polyphenol” comes from the Ancient Greek word polus, which means “many, much”, and the word “phenol”
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