The ability of certain fruits and vegetables to improve the functioning of certain organ systems has long been known to mankind. As a result of research, it became known that these beneficial properties are possessed by a special substance that is contained in plants and plays a crucial role in their life. And this substance is called "flavonoid". What it is and how it affects the human body can be found in this article.
A bit of history
Medics in ancient times used the beneficial properties of certain vegetables and fruits to treat various diseases. However, they did not even think about the question of what substances that make up these plants make these products capable of curing a particular ailment. For the first time, the question, flavonoid - what is it, was answered by Nobel Prize winner in medicine and physiology Albert de Szent-Györgyi in1936. His research focused on the flavonoids found in red peppers. Albert de Szent-Györgyi discovered that eating this vegetable helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels due to some red-colored beneficial substances, and called them vitamin P. However, this name did not take root. Moreover, over the next fifty years, this topic was not of great interest to science, but in the early 90s of the last century, a new boom began to be observed. This was due to the fact that a group of American scientists discovered the antioxidant properties of flavonoids found in certain vegetables and fruits. After that, it was decided to use these beneficial qualities of plants to neutralize free radicals.
What is a flavonoid?
A group of substances found in vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs that affect the action of enzymes in the body is called flavonoids. They are widely used in both folk and traditional medicine, pharmacology. These substances are also responsible for the color of the fruit, they are involved in photosynthesis. What is a flavonoid? What is this - vitamin or something else? This is a heterocyclic compound. It is poorly soluble in water, it can be of different colors (yellow, red, orange, etc.). Flavonoids can also be called natural plant dyes. However, they are found only in plants, but in no case in the animal body.
Flavonoids: classification and types
Today, scientists have identified more than 6500 flavonoids, which are grouped into 24 groups. Among them are lipophilic and water-soluble compounds. Some of these groups are pigments of vegetable origin. They determine the color of the fruits of plants and flowers. Depending on the degree of oxidation of the 3-carbon fragment, there are the following classes of flavonoid compounds:
- leukoanthocyanidins (leukocyanidin, leukodelphinidin, leukopelargonidin);
- catechins;
- flavonones;
- chalcones;
- dihydrochalcones;
- flavononols;
- anthocyanins and anthocyanidins;
- aurons;
- flavonols (bioflavonoids);
- isoflavones.
The most famous of the flavonoids today is rutin or, as it is called otherwise, vitamin C2, or R. What is it so famous for? This substance has a special vasoconstrictive property. For this, it (or its synthetic analogue) is one of the components of many drugs, for example, rutin is part of the drug Ascorutinum, designed to increase the elasticity of capillaries and blood vessels.
Flavonoids: action on the body
The beneficial properties of flavonoids for the human body are not limited to the vascular strengthening effect. In addition, they have such very important effects as:
-
flavonoids in plants decongestant;
- venotonic;
- vasodilator;
- antiatherosclerotic;
- membrane stabilizing;
- antiallergic;
- antihypertensive;
- anti-inflammatory;
- cardioprotective;
- immunomodulating;
- anticarcinogenic;
- antioxidant;
- detoxifying;
- antihypoxant;
- estrogen-like and others
Based on this, we can say that flavonoids have antioxidant, anti-radiation, antispasmodic, anti-ulcer, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, hypotensive, estrogenic, bactericidal, diuretic properties, etc.
Useful properties
As you can see, flavonoids are useful and even necessary for humans. They contribute to the proper functioning of the body, and their action is non-aggressive. Knowing about their beneficial properties, it is easy to independently help your body in solving some problems. So, for example, due to the antioxidant effect, red wine (in moderation) is recommended for residents of an area with increased radiation. However, flavonoids, the effect on the body of which has been scientifically proven, nevertheless, are not the main therapeutic agents. They can only become auxiliary, accompanying the main therapy. However, despite the fact that flavonoids in plants are in sufficient quantities, nevertheless, they are often unstable. If handled incorrectly, they may die.
Foods containing flavonoids
Today, preparations containing flavonoids can be bought at a pharmacy or ordered online. However, it is much more useful to take vegetables and fruits, which include these beneficial substances. Where are flavonoids found? Here is an incompletelist of foods that contain these beneficial substances:
- cocoa;
- tea, especially green tea (flavones and catechins);
- red grapes and red wine;
- apricots, plums, apples, peaches, pears, quince, etc;
- berries: cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, black and red currant, black mulberry, hawthorn, barberry, etc.;
- citrus fruits: lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerine (flavonones, flavones);
- vegetables: cabbage, carrots, beets, eggplant, etc.
Flavonoids are the richest vegetables and fruits that have a bright burgundy or purple color, including wild fruits. It has been proven that in the latter the content of natural pigments is much higher and these are mainly leukoanthocyanidins, while rosaceae contain flavones, and legumes contain isoflavonoids.
How to take flavonoids?
At the present time, there is hardly anyone who has not heard the word "flavonoid", what it is and what it is "eaten with". In recent years, these substances have been the focus of attention of pharmacologists, who are increasingly using them for the production of drugs. By the way, many scientists in this field "infected" with the idea to create the so-called elixir of youth, using all the same flavonoids. The benefits of these substances for the human body are obvious. However, are their beneficial properties able to fight the signs of aging? In any case, they definitely do more good than harm. That's whythe use of vegetables, fruits, berries, greens rich in flavonoids will only favor your he alth, fill your body with energy. You will feel younger, fresher, more alert and he althier. Plus, these foods can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Believe me, no overdose of flavonoids threatens you, of course, if we are not talking about bioactive supplements. In no case should they be used without the recommendation of a doctor or without studying the instructions, especially the "dosage" item.
