Fruits And Vegetables - What Is Their Useful Effect? (Part I)
Author: Nia Rouseberg
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Not one or two generations have known that the consumption of vegetables and fruits is useful for maintaining good health and longevity. What are the substances that are responsible for their beneficial effect?
Not one or two generations have known that the consumption of vegetables and fruits is useful for maintaining good health and longevity. What are the substances that are responsible for their beneficial effect?
Carotenoids
Vegetables and fruits contain high concentrations of various types of carotenoids. These plant pigments are over 600. The most popular is beta carotene, which gives carrots a specific orange color. Beta carotene in the liver produces vitamin A , which plays an important role in the proper functioning of many processes in the body.
Carotenoids are divided into two main groups: carotenes - which are converted into vitamin A, and xanthophylls, whose role has not yet been well studied. Carotenes are less than 10% of carotenoids.
Recently, data have been published that carotenoids have high antioxidant activity and are actively involved in the body's immune defenses. It is also clarified that they regulate the communication between the cells, which takes place through special signals. The communicative abilities of the cells are especially important in the immune system, which, in order to function effectively, must find a working way to exchange signals. It is because of these properties that carotenoids are considered important immunomodulators.
Each variety of fruit or vegetable is distinguished by its unique composition of carotenoids. Tomatoes owe their color to lycopene, which according to recent clinical studies has anticancer properties. It has been confirmed many times that lutein and zeaxanthin in the elderly prevent optic nerve degeneration and protect against blindness.
Unfortunately, clinical studies of various carotenoids in their pure form do not take into account their particular impact on the body. On the contrary, there is even evidence of a negative effect. For example, high beta carotene intake in smokers increases the risk of cancer. It was also found that the consumption of products rich in these carotenoids gives much higher results than their intake in the form of food supplements.
Flavonoids
There are over 8,000 flavonoids. Flavonoids also give a bright color to fruits and vegetables and are antioxidants. The source of flavonoids is red wine. When consumed within reasonable limits, it reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This action is due to the flavonoids it contains.
However, an excessive concentration of flavonoids also has the opposite effect. It is for this reason that the use of these substances should also be controlled and measured. Flavonoids are found in all plant-based products.
Along with the positive data, the scientists were in a sense disappointed, as it was found that flavonoids are difficult to absorb from the intestines and their concentration in the blood remains low. It is almost impossible to detect their presence in the tissues.
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