Alpha-carotene
Anthocyanidins
Antioxidants
Apigenin
Beta-carotene
Beta-cryptoxanthin
Cancer
Carotenoids
Cataract
Catechin
Ellagic Acid
Epicatechins
Flavonoids
Hesperetin
Indoles
Isothiocyanates
Lutein
Luteolin
Lycopene
Macular Degeneration
Myricetin
Naringenin
Organosulfur Compounds
Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC)
Phytochemicals
Polyphenols
Proanthocyanidins
Quercetin
Resveratrol
Zeaxanthin
Alpha-carotene: Alpha-carotene is one of the most abundant carotenoids
in the diet. It can be converted in the body to an active form of vitamin A, a nutrient
important for vision, immune function, and skin and bone health. Alpha-carotene has less
than half the vitamin A activity of the major vitamin A precursor, beta-carotene. In
addition to being a precursor for vitamin A, alpha-carotene may act as an antioxidant
in the body.
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Anthocyanidins: Anthocyanidins are antioxidants that have been linked
to improved blood vessel health in animals and humans.
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Antioxidant(s): Antioxidants are found naturally in many fruits and
vegetables and may protect cells from damage caused by the by-products (free radicals)
of everyday metabolism and toxic substances in the environment and food. Over time, free
radicals can significantly damage cells and lead to a number of diseases associated with
aging. Antioxidants act as little vacuum cleaners, eliminating free radicals as they
circulate throughout the body, preventing them from doing damage.
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Apigenin: Apigenin is a flavonoid with potential chemopreventive actions.
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Beta-carotene: Beta-carotene is probably the most familiar and
well-studied of the carotenoids. It is a potent antioxidant as well as a major precursor
for Vitamin A, a nutrient important for vision, immune function, and skin and bone health.
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Beta-cryptoxanthin: Beta-cryptoxanthin is one of the pro-vitamin A
carotenoids. It can be converted in the body to an active form of vitamin A, a nutrient
important for vision, immune function, and skin and bone health. Beta-cryptoxanthin has
about half the vitamin A activity of the major vitamin A precursor, beta-carotene. In
addition, beta-cryptoxanthin acts as an antioxidant in the body.
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Cancer: A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without
control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and
lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
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Carotenoids: Carotenoids are fat-soluble phytochemicals with a
Vitamin-A-like structure that have strong antioxidant and other potentially protective
properties. Carotenoids are found in many fruits and vegetables.
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Cataract: A cataract refers to cloudiness in the lens of the eye, which
can cause vision loss and sometimes blindness. Structural proteins in the eye breakdown
with aging and cause cataracts. Fifty percent of the population between ages 52 and 64,
and 70% of those over 70 years old, have cataracts. Symptoms of cataracts include blurry
or fuzzy vision, changes in color vision, and increased glare from lights among others.
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Catechin: Catechin is a flavonoid that is associated with a lower risk
of coronary heart disease and certain cancers and with healthy lung function.
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Ellagic acid: Ellagic acid falls into a broader class of phytochemicals
called polyphenols. Ellagic acid acts as an antioxidant and may reduce the risk of certain
types of cancer.
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Epicatechins: The epicatechins (epicatechin, epicatechin gallate
epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate) have been linked to lower risk for cardiovascular
disease and cancer.
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Flavonoids: Flavonoids, a subclass of polyphenols, are a group of
phytochemicals that are among the most potent and abundant antioxidants in our diet. The
flavonoids are further divided into subclasses based on slightly different chemical structures.
Although more than 4000 flavonoids have been identified, several appear to be important
components of many fruits and vegetables.
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Hesperetin: Hesperetin is a flavonoid that has been shown in animal
studies to lower blood pressure, inflammation, and levels of ‘bad' (LDL) cholesterol, but
these effects have not been studied in humans yet.
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Indoles: Cruciferous vegetables contain phytochemical indoles and
isothiocyanates that have anti-cancer properties.
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Isothiocyanates: Cruciferous vegetables contain phytochemical indoles and
isothiocyanates that have anti-cancer properties.
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Lutein: The carotenoid lutein concentrates in the macula of the eye.
Evidence suggests that eating foods high in lutein may prevent and slow macular degeneration,
a leading cause of blindness in the elderly. As an antioxidant, lutein reduces the amount of
free radical damage to the macula and may also help prevent the formation of cataracts,
reduce the risk of heart disease, and protect against certain types of cancer.
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Luteolin: Luteolin is a flavonoid that has been shown in animal studies to have anti-cancer,
anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic effects, and anti-asthma effects. These effects have not
been studied in humans yet.
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Lycopene: Lycopene, one of the carotenoids, is a potent antioxidant. It has been associated with a
reduced risk for many cancers, especially prostate cancer, and protection against heart
attacks, though research continues on other potential health benefits. Tomato-based products
have the most concentrated source of lycopene. Cooked tomato sauces are associated with
greater health benefits, compared to uncooked, because the heating process makes all
carotenoids (including lycopene) more easily absorbed by the body.
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Macular Degeneration: Age-related macular degeneration is the number
one cause of severe vision loss or legal blindness in adults over 60 in the U.S. More than
one in 10 adults aged 65 to 74, and 28 percent of those 75 years or older have the disease.
Age-related macular degeneration reduces 'straight ahead' central vision necessary for
normal functioning. Risk for macular degeneration increases with age and smoking and dietary
factors may also play a role. Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale and brightly
colored fruits and vegetables like mangoes, oranges and cantaloupes contain phytochemicals
called lutein and zeaxanthin that may reduce the risk for macular degeneration.
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Myricetin: Myricetin is a flavonoid that has been found to have
anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects in lab studies. In animal studies myricetin
increased the transport of blood sugar into fat cells and increased the ability of insulin
to clear fats (triglycerides) from the blood. These effects have not been examined in people yet.
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Naringenin: Naringenin is a flavonoid that has been shown in lab and
animal studies to have antioxidant, anti-hormone (anti-estrogen), and cholesterol-lowering
abilities.
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Organosulfur compounds: Allium vegetables include garlic, onions, shallots,
chives and leeks. These vegetables contain organosulfur compounds that are thought to protect
against cancer. Studies on garlic also show that it has the potential to lower many risk factors
for cardiovascular disease.
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Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC): ORAC is a measure of a
food's ability to absorb oxygen radicals that can oxidize cellular components in the
body. It is used to measure the antioxidant power of a food.
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Phytochemicals: Phytochemicals are substances that are found only in plants
and that have biological effects in humans. Some of them may provide health benefits beyond those
provided by essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals). Eating a variety of colorful
phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of some chronic
diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Phytochemicals may act as antioxidants, protect and
regenerate essential nutrients, and/or work to deactivate cancer-causing substances.
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Polyphenols: Polyphenols are a broad class of phytochemicals that include
flavonoids, stillbenes (includes resveratrol), and phenolic acids. They represent the most
abundant antioxidants in our diets. Polyphenols are thought to protect the body's tissues against
oxidative stress and may prevent various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and
inflammation.
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Proanthocyanidins: Proanthocyanidins are a group of flavonoids with strong
antioxidant properties. Proanthocyanidins may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and
cancer, while some proanthocyanidins may protect against urinary tract infections.
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Quercetin: Quercetin is considered to be the main flavonoid in the diet.
People who have the highest intakes of quercetin-containing foods were found to have a lower
risk for asthma, lower mortality from heart disease, and lower lung cancer incidence.
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Resveratrol: Resveratrol falls into a broader class of phytochemicals called
polyphenols which have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Resveratrol, which is
most abundant in red wine, is thought to be one of the compounds responsible for the health
benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet. Resveratrol may help lower the risk of heart disease and
cancer. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol were recently demonstrated in
lung cells, which may have implications for lower risk of lung disease and asthma.
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Zeaxanthin: Zeaxanthin, one of the carotenoids with antioxidant power, is
often linked with lutein, since both are deposited in the macular region of the eye. Zeaxanthin
may help to prevent macular degeneration and certain types of cancer.
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