Flavonoids are a class of plant metabolites that are an exceptional class of compounds with a wide range of health benefits. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds that are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. These compounds give fruits, vegetables, and flowers their vibrant colors. Their chemical structure, consisting of 15 carbon atoms arranged in three rings, often varies to form a wide variety of flavonoids found in nature. Flavonoids can be divided into six subtypes such as chalcones, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, anthocyanidins, and anthocyanidins. Most plants contain flavonoids, which play an important role in plant growth, development, flowering, fruiting, antibacterial and disease prevention.
Sources of flavonoids
Flavonoids are a class of secondary metabolites naturally present in plants, mainly found in fruits, vegetables, tea, herbs and grains. Common sources of flavonoids include:
| Citrus fruits | Lemon, orange, grapefruit and other fruits are rich in flavonoids such as naringin and hesperidin. |
| Vegetables | Onions, garlic, celery, beans and other vegetables are rich in flavonoids and isoflavonoids. |
| Tea | Tea is rich in catechins and flavonoids, especially green tea and white tea. |
| Herbs | Herbs such as marigold, perilla, and nepeta also contain a certain amount of flavonoids. |
| Grains | Black rice, purple rice, oats, sunflower seeds and other grains also contain some flavonoids. |
Functions of flavonoids
Flavonoids have a variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and neuroprotective effects. These compounds can scavenge free radicals in the body and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation associated with various chronic diseases. Some of the main effects include:
Flavonoids have strong antioxidant capacity, which can neutralize free radicals in the body, reduce oxidative damage, and protect cell health.
Flavonoids can reduce tissue damage and pain caused by inflammation by regulating the pathway of inflammatory response, and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Some flavonoids are believed to have anti-tumor activity, which can inhibit the proliferation and spread of cancer cells, and play a role in preventing and treating cancer.
- Protect cardiovascular health
Flavonoids can lower blood lipids, inhibit platelet aggregation, etc., which helps prevent arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
- Inhibit the occurrence of diabetes
Some flavonoids have certain preventive and therapeutic effects on diabetes, can lower blood sugar and improve pancreatic islet function.
Flavonoids have certain inhibitory effects on a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses, and help prevent and treat infectious diseases.
Reference
- Dias, Maria Celeste, Diana CGA Pinto, and Artur MS Silva. Plant flavonoids: Chemical characteristics and biological activity." Molecules 2021, 26(17): 5377.
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