Antioxidants Like Polyphenols Can Reduce The Onset Of Disease In The Body

A lot of new evidence suggests that consuming more plant polyphenols is a powerful way to protect aging arteries.  These polyphenol compounds help improve endothelial function, a critical factor in preventing atherosclerosis; inhibit abnormal platelet aggregation which causes most sudden heart attacks and strokes; fight inflammation; and support healthy blood lipids.  Polyphenols that are of particular interest are those derived from green tea, cocoa, apples, and black chokeberry, which all complement each other in helping to build the body’s defenses against various ailments. 

All throughout history, the medicinal potential of plants has been celebrated.  Modern science has found that edible plants are to be valued for their high vitamin and fiber along with their rich store of polyphenols.  Polyphenols are found in fruits and vegetables, as well as cocoa, tea, and chokeberry and have been shown to be a type of chemical that may protect the body against some common health problems as well as certain effects of aging.  Polyphenols protect cells and body chemicals against damage that is caused by free radicals and block the action of enzymes that cancers need for growth, deactivating substances that promote the growth of cancer.  The increased consumption of polyphenols has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and potentially cancer and stroke. 

In Aztec culture, cocoa was one of the most highly prized due to its medicinal and stimulant value, along with its taste.  The polyphenols found in cocoa occur in a higher concentration than can be found in any other food.  They also have antioxidant activity much greater than those found in broccoli or red wine.  The catechins and procyanidins that are found in cocoa seem to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.  Cocoa has also been proven in studies to reduce blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, and slightly ameliorate the lipid profile.  Although cocoa is a healthy and tasteful food, it is high in caloric content and therefore, its ingestion must be accompanied by the careful reduction of calories from other sources. 

Many studies have shown that tea polyphenols can be extremely beneficial to human health, possessing anti-obesity, antihypertensive, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects.  Tea is the world’s second most consumed beverage, although less popular in the Western diet.  Green tea and white tea retain more polyphenols in their intact form, as oolong and black teas undergo more extensive processing before they are marketed.  Tea polyphenols break down in high temperatures therefore; freshly brewed tea contains a higher amount of polyphenols per serving than do tea drinks that are canned or bottled. 

Similar to the blueberry, the black chokeberry is high in anthocyanins and new antioxidant activity.  It is native to eastern North America and has become popular in Eastern Europe and Russia due to its health-promoting potential.  This berry protects the liver from chemical poisoning and the stomach lining from ulcers.  It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, lowers harmful cholesterol levels, and prevents dangerous swings in blood pressure.  Some studies have shown that this berry seems to prevent the harmful mutations in cell cultures, regulates immune function of human white blood cell cultures, and suppressed the growth of human colon cancers.