What is the relationship between polyphenols antioxidants, flavanols and lignans?

It it commonly said that antioxidants have anti-cancer properties, as well as every other health benefit imaginable, from preventing pathogens to reducing seasonal allergies.

"Phenolic compounds have diverse defensive functions in plants, such as cell wall strengthening and repair (lignin and suberin) and antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Some polyphenols are phytoanticipins, compounds with a defensive role that are not synthesised in response to a pathogen attack but rather are constitutively present in plant cells.

"Phenolic constituents occur on the surface of plants or in the cytoplasmic fraction of the epidermal cells, where they act as a deterrent to pathogens. In contrast, phenolic phytoalexins are secreted by wounded plants or in response to incompatible pathogens. The induced defense response includes cell death and the formation of a lesion that limits the growth of the pathogen. Cells around the lesion accumulate polyphenols and other antibiotic compounds."

Plant Polyphenols and Their Anti-Cariogenic Properties: A Review by Gianmaria F. Ferrazzano, Ivana Amato, Aniello Ingenito, Armando Zarrelli, Gabriele Pinto and Antonino Pollio

The average article will talk about one antioxidant such as resveratrol (found in red wine and grapes) or rutin (found in buckwheat and asparagus). The article will mention a handful of foods, a handful of benefits, and it'll throw out a handful of other terms such as "flavonoid" or "polyphenol" or "phytochemical."

This is all well and good, but it doesn't explain the relationship between all of these substances.

Hence, this page will serve as a somewhat comprehensive reference for polyphenols (which are antioxidants).

Click here to view my chart fullsize in a new tab.

This article is still somewhat of a work in progress. (January 12th-16th 2013)

Phtyochemicals include antioxidants.

Antioxidants include polyphenols.

Polyphenols include flavonoids.

Flavonoids include flavanones.

Flavanones include hesperetin, naringenin, and eriodictyol.

Food sources: citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons.

Flavonoids include anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidins include pelargonidin, cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin.

Food sources: black grapes, and red wine.

Flavonoids include isoflavones.

Isoflavones include genistein, and daidzein.

Food sources: organic soy (not overly processed soy products).

Flavonoids include flavones.

Polyphenols also include phenolic alcohols.

Phenolic alcohols include coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol, and para-coumaryl.

Food sources: possibly pine-needle tea.

Polyphenols also include phenolic acids.

Phenolic acids include benzoic acid, and cinnamic acid.

Benzoic acid includes gallic acid.

Food sources: Pomegranates, rooibos tea, flax seeds, watercress, grape seed, gallnuts, sumac (culinary spice with tart flavor), and tea leaves.

Cinnamic acid includes caffeic acid, and ferulic acid.

Phenolic acids include tannic acid.

Food sources: grapes, green tea, and persimmons.

Phenolic acids include vanillin.

Food sources: vanilla bean.

Food sources: coffee, blueberries, kiwis, plums, cherries, red wine, apples, brown rice, oat groats, artichokes, oranges and pineapples.

Flavonoids include flavones.

Flavones include apigenin, luteolin and tangeritin.

Apigenin food sources: parsley, celery, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, coriander, chamomile, cloves, lemon blam, artichokes, spinach, peppermint, red wine and licorice.

Luteolin food sources: celery leaves and seeds, green pepper, thyme, perilla, chamomile tea, carrots, olive oil, peppermint, rosemary, lentils, black olives, navel oranges, clover blossom, lettuce, globe artichoke, dandelion, and oregano.

Tangeritin food sources: tangerine peels, and citrus peels.

Flavonoids include flavonols (not to be confused with flavanols).

Flavonols include isorhamnetin, kaempferol, myricetin, proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins), quercetin, and rutin.

Isorhamnetin food sources: almonds, chives, dill weed, fennel leaves, red onion and turnip greens.

Kaempferol food sources: broccoli, tea, grapefruit, curly raw endive leaves, cabbage, kale, beans, endive, leek, tomato, strawberries, grapes, Brussels sprouts, and apples.

Myricetin food sources: walnuts, red wine and grapes, onions, tea, and berries.

Proanthocyanidins food sources: chokeberries, rose hips, cacao beans, berries, persimmons, grapes and red wine, peaches, apples and apple cider, pears, and green tea.

Quercetin food sources: black chokeberry, cranberry, lettuce, quince fruit, apples, citrus fruits, onions, parsley, red wine and grapes, tea, bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, dark cherries, and buckwheat.

Rutin food sources: buckwheat, asparagus, citrus fruits and their rinds, cherries, apricots, green peppers, rooibos tea, blueberries, blackberries, and mulberries.

Flavonoids include flavanones.

Flavanones include eriodictyol, hesperetin, and naringenin.

Food sources: peppermint, kumquats, lemons, pumellos, limes, grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, tangelo, artichokes, red wine and white wine, basil, dill weed, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, terragon, chives, coriander, garden cress, parsley, and watercress.

Flavonoids include flavanols (and their polymers).

Flavanols (and their polymers) include catechin and gallocatechin (gallocatechin includes catechin just as the name implies), epicatechin, and epigallocatechin, theaflavin, thearubigins, and procyanidin.

Catechin/epicatechin food sources: Green tea, cacao beans, oolong tea, kiwi, apples, apricots, nectarines, pears, plums, blackberries, red raspberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins and grapes and red wine, rhubarb, and barley.

Gallocatechol/gallocatechin food sources: green tea, bananas, persimmson, almonds, plums, cacao beans, kiwi, apples, and pomegranate.

Theaflavin and Thearubigins food sources: fermented teas—The tea will be "black" but not all black teas are fermeneted. These two antioxidants are only found in fermented tea, not in green tea before fermentation.

Procyanidin food sources: apricot, nectarine, kiwi, pomegranate, peach, blackberry, strawberry, green beans, persimmons, cranberries, apples, cacao beans, and red wine.

Flavonoids include isoflavones.

Isoflavones include daidzen, genistein, and glycitein.

Food sources: organic unproccessed soy beans, fava beans, psoralea corylifolia (Indian bread root), kudzu root and kwao krua root.

Flavonoids include anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidin include cyanidin (anthocyanins are glycosides of anthocyanidins)

Food sources: grapes, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, elderberry, hawthorn, loganberry, acai berry, raspberry, apples, plums, red cabbage and red onion.

Flavonoids include anthocyanins.

Anythocyanins include delphinidin.

Food sources: grapes, cranberries, and pomegranates.

Flavonoids include anthocyanins.

Anythocyanins include malvidin.

Food sources: red wine and grapes, chokeberries, and saskatoon berries.

Flavonoids include anthocyanins.

Anythocyanins include pelargonidin.

Food sources: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, plums, cranberries, pomegranates and red kidney beans.

Flavonoids include anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidins include peonidin.

Food sources: raw cranberries, blueberries, plums, grapes, and cherries.

Flavonoids include anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidin include petunidin.

Food sources: chokeberries, saskatoon berries, and muscadine grapes.

Phtyochemicals include antioxidants.

Antioxidants include polyphenols.

Polyphenols include a classification called Other Polyphenols.

Other polyphenols include hydroxyphenylpropenes.

Hydroxyphenylpropenes includes eugenol.

Food sources: Cloves, ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon balm, dill, and Japanese star anise.

Antioxidants include polyphenols.

Polyphenols include lignans.

Lignans include lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, sesamin, and arctigenin (to name a few).

Food sources: flax seeds, kale, broccoli, apricots, strawberries, seseme seeds and cabbage.

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Sources Of Raederle's Polyphenol Research

"Natural Polyphenols" by Duke Liberatore and Jan Mcbarron, M.D. Note: This is where I found reference to bilberries being a source of anthocyanins. Flavonoid Chart by Dr. Delgado Note: This is where I found many of the food sources of various flavanoids. "Phytonutrients: Stilbenes" Note: This is where I got the food sources for stilbenes. Stilbene Note: This is where I found "Itadori tea" as a stilbene source. Phenolic Alcohols Note: This is where I found information on the three kinds of phenolic alcohols. Benzoic Acid Note: This is where I found the food sources for benzoic acid. Phenolic Acids Note: This is where I found the two primary types of phenolic acid. Gallic Acid Wikepedia Antioxidant List Note: I found this in particular to find cinnamic acid food sources, but from there continued to use it as a reference for many other things included on this page. Apigenin Food Sources Isorhamnetin Food Sources Myricetin Food Sources Colors in Food Note: I found this page when looking for the color of flavonols.

Proanthocyanidins in Common Food Products of Plant Origin Note: I learned from reading this that there are definitely properties (benefits) of fruits that are not found in vegetables, which I personally find fascinating. I think it would be safe to assume that a reverse is true, especially when considering chlorophyll. About Quercetin USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods Foods High In Catechins Phytochemicals in Foods—13 Health Benefits of Gallocatechin Note: This is where I found plums, apples and almonds as a source of gallocatechin. Foods With Epicatechin & Catechin A comparative survey of leguminous plants Note: This is where I found psoralea corylifolia as a high source for genisteim. Daidzein, a phytoestrogen Note: This is where I found kudzu root as a source for daidzein. Phenolic Compounds Note: This is where I found tannic acid as a phenolic acid. Phenol Explorer Note: I wish I had found this earlier on in my research on this topic. This is an excellent resource for figuring out how different antioxidants relate to one another. The biological activity of eugenol, a major constituent of nutmeg What is Chicoric acid? Note: This is where I found Echinacea as a source for chicoric acid. Endive Polyphenol Content

Oxygen | Radio Show

Today, having a low blood oxygen level is a normal clinical finding for people with chronic diseases. Why is that?

In this episode, Raederle (me), Lytenian and Lenny Revell discuss oxygen, its function in the body, and why oxygen is critical in healing disease. To listen to the audio, click here.

The connection between oxygen and cancer

Dr. Otto Warburg, 1931 Nobel prize winner, discovered a connection between oxygen and cancer. His studies showed that part of the cause of cancer is related to oxygen-deprived cells. He found that cancer cells are anaerobic and thrive in an oxygen-deficient environment.

Warburg also discovered that a slightly alkaline pH in the body meant higher levels of oxygen uptake.

Breathing: How We Utilize Oxygen

When we inhale, oxygen from the air we breathe is diffused through membranes and into red blood cells. Oxygen-rich blood circulates throughout the body and finds tissues needing oxygen.

Enzymes in the body combine with oxygen and initiate metabolic/oxidative processes in the body. One waste product of oxidation is carbon dioxide, which we exhale. Carbon dioxide combines with hemoglobin and bicarbonates and is transported back to the lungs.

Aerobic Respiration

Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy

The above reaction occurs in mitochondria within cells. Aerobic respiration extracts the maximum amount of energy from glucose, because the molecule is completely broken down.

When the supply of oxygen is insufficient, there is a back-up system known as anaerobic respiration, that can release energy without oxygen, as shown:

Glucose → Lactic Acid + Energy

This reaction occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. It does not put any extra pressure on the respiratory or circulatory systems, because it does not produce carbon dioxide. Enzymatic decomposition of glucose in the absence of oxygen is also known as "fermentation", though in humans the end result is the production of lactic acid, not alcohol, because we lack the enzymes to produce alcohol.

Oxygen & Detoxification

Good health, in short, is the efficient absorption of things we do need, and the efficient elimination of things we don't need.

Detoxification is the process of eliminating the things we do not need.

Removing waste is something all of our cells must do, and must continue to do to maintain health.

Cellular waste is removed from the body through the kidneys, skin, liver and colon.

Part of the waste is dissolved in water and transported through the lymph system and/or blood to the kidneys and liver for filtration. Waste is taken from the liver and kidneys to then eliminated through the urine and bowels. Toxins are also excreted from the body through perspiration.

Toxins even leave our body through nostril mucus, tears, breast milk and menstruation. However, none of these are methods by which the body is purposely disposing of large amounts of toxins, except perhaps menstruation.

Some of the most toxic poisons in the body can only be neutralized through oxidation. This is the job of oxygen-rich red blood cells that circulate throughout the body.

Minimizing your exposure to environmental toxins and restoring oxygen balance in the body is the path to cellular rejuvenation and disease prevention.

The Dangers In Lacking Oxygen

The heart becomes over-worked without adequate oxygen supply from the lungs. Over time, this puts you at risk for a heart attack.

Oxygen is required for collagen synthesis. Collagen is what allows us to heal wounds and keeps our skin healthy and looking young. Lacking in oxygen can lead to lacking in collagen which causes our skin to become wrinkly and less flexible.

Cancer cells have either wholly or partially switched to anaerobic respiration. The more our bodies lack for oxygen the more cancerous cells we have within our bodies.

Increasing Oxygen In Your Cells

Alkalizing Foods

Increase your intake of alkalizing foods. Alkalizing foods are leafy greens, and most fruits and vegetables at large. Acidifying foods are processed foods and most animal products. Dark leafy green vegetables are the king when it comes to get calcium-rich alkaline minerals. To get a feel for just how nutritious vegetables are, take a look at this chart shown to the right.

Hydration

For all aspects of health, it is important to keep hydrated by drinking enough clean water. Water is essential for the utilization of oxygen as well as for the transportation of nutrients and wastes within the body. Without enough water, every bodily function is impaired, including cellular respiration and detoxification.

Breathing Deeply

This one may be obvious: for adequate oxygen you must breathe properly. Deep, slow, steady breaths through the nose into the diaphragm (the belly area) increase the oxygen that is brought into the body. Contrary to what we would be inclined to think, rapid breathing does not increase oxygenation in the body.

Impact Exercises

Daily exercise is vital to oxygen utilization. Our lymph system only moves when we move. We have more than five times as much lymph fluid as we do blood, and yet our lymph fluid has no heart to pump it. Our exercise is the pump for our lymph. For people who spend a ton of time at home behind a desk (like I do), I highly recommend an indoor trampoline for several-minute bursts of lymphatic stimulation throughout the day.

Aerobic exercises such as walking, jumping, swimming, biking, and hiking stimulate all of the organs of the body. While I highly recommend yoga, pilates and Tai Chi, none of these have "impact" to stimulate the lymph system like jumping does. A combination of walking, rebounding (on a trampoline) and yoga (or a similar practice such as Qi Gong) come together to provide a holistic scope of health benefits.

Nature

Keeping plants besides the bed and on the desk is a powerful way to improve the quality of your life. Not only will there be more oxygen in the air (created by the plants), but also, you'll have something green and alive nearby to uplift you. Green has been shown to be the most pleasing color to the human eye. This makes sense, as in the wild it is the color green that indicates a habitat suitable for mankind.

For a particularly powerful boost to your blood-oxygen levels, keep a tray of wheatgrass or sprouts besides your bed and at your desk and eat sprouts and/or drink wheatgrass juice on a daily basis. They'll provide you with oxygen while they're growing directly, and indirectly when you consume them through their alkalizing minerals.

Turn off the heater and put on a sweater!

For incredible relief from dizziness and fatigue reduce use of the heater and air conditioner. Both of these temperature managers remove oxygen from the air, leaving your home and office stale and suffocating. "A breath of fresh air" feels so good because the indoor air has no source of oxygen.

If your home is running a heater/furnace or air conditioner for hours of the day, or all the time, and people are breathing inside, and yet there are no plants replenishing the oxygen indoors, then guess what happens? Your bodily cells begin to starve for oxygen no matter your healthy diet or deep breathing.

Conclusions

Adequate oxygenation has a host of important functions. If you're currently suffering from a lack of oxygen in your body, then increasing the oxygenation of your body will have many benefits, such as increased level of energy and reduced stress.

~ Raederle Phoenix

and Lytenian and Lenny Revell

Quotes From My Sources

"Cancer cells also do not grow well in the presence of oxygen. When oxygen levels are low, cancer cells have more of an opportunity to thrive and multiple. When body tissues have a high alkaline level, they are able to hold much more oxygen as compared to tissues with a high acid level." ~ Alkaline Diet

"An oxygen-depleting diet would consist of one high cooked foods, red meat, sugar, saturated fats, white bread, processed and frozen foods, and carbonated beverages. Switching to an oxygen-rich diet often brings immediate energy and a more vibrant face, skin and positive attitude." ~ Breathing.com

"Oxygen is incorporated by two amino acids, proline and lysine, in collagen chain synthesis. Collagen cannot be synthesized by the fibroblast unless adequate amounts of both proline and lysine are hydroxylated with oxygen. Synthesis requires one atom of oxygen for every three amino acids in sequence. Oxygen is also required in increased amounts during the repair process to provide energy for protein synthesis." ~ Brian A. Youn, M.D.

"Aerobic cellular respiration creates about 30 ATP molecules from each glucose molecule, and anaerobic respiration creates only 2 ATP molecules. Anaerobic respiration releases only a small fraction of the available energy. Cancer cells must feel very tired!" ~ Alkalize For Health

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