Reference Number: 39
Year: 2007
Nutrition: Polyphenols
Summary
Summary
The purpose of this article is to give an overview of phenolic compounds reported in whole grain cereals and to compare their phenol and antioxidant activity levels. Whole grain cereals are a good source of phenolics. Black sorghum contain high levels of the unique 3-deoxyanthocyanidins and oats are the only source of avenanthramides. Among cereal grains, tannin sorghum and black rice contain the highest antioxidant activity when tested experimentally in a lab.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY
The current study provides an overview of the main phenolic compounds present in cereals and their importance to health and nutrition. All plant based food have phenolic compounds which affect their appearance, taste, odour, nutritional quality and stability. In cereal grains, phenolic compounds are mainly present in the outer layer (pericarp) of the grain or the bran fraction. Therefore in order to extract the maximum nutritional benefit out of cereal grains, consuming wholegrain varieties is better since its the powerhouse of not only phenolic compounds but also high fibre levels.
