Reference Number: 48
Year: 2009
Link: Link to original paper
Nutrition: Polyphenols
Summary
Summary
Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants and are gener- ally involved in defense against ultraviolet radiation or aggres- sion by pathogens. in the last decade, there has been much interest in the potential health bene ts of dietary plant poly- phenols as antioxidant. epidemiological studies and associated meta-analyses strongly suggest that long term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols offer protection against develop- ment of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporo- sis and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we present knowl- edge about the biological effects of plant polyphenols in the context of relevance to human health.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY
More than 8,000 polyphenolic compounds have been identified in various plant species with the main classes including phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes and lignans. The paper states that the outer layers of plants contain higher levels of phenolics than those located in their inner parts. Numerous factors affect the polyphenol content of plants which include the degree of ripeness at the time of harvest, environmental factors, processing and storage. Polyphenols are important constituents of our diet and this has been proven by various epidemiological studies that have repeatedly shown an inverse association between the risk of chronic human diseases and the consumption of polyphenolic rich diet. Although much is known about the impact of polyphenols on health, a better understanding of some variables of polyphenol bioavailability such as the mode and method of absorption, accumulation and elimination are areas that warrants further research.