WHAT IS CANTHAXANTHIN? Canthaxanthin is a carotenoid and phytonutrient. It is most famous for being a sunless tanning product but this natural nutrient may have further health benefits in humans. In this article I will be providing you with a full overview of canthaxanthin and its role in the human body. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF CANTHAXANTHIN? Canthaxanthin was discovered by the British chemist Basil Weedon in 1970 along with a selection of other carotenoids. WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CANTHAXANTHIN? Canthaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can protect the body’s cells … [Read more...]
Lycopene Explained
WHAT IS LYCOPENE? Lycopene is a carotene and phytonutrient (health boosting, plant based chemical compounds which are not classed as essential nutrients). Early research indicates that this natural nutrient may be able to protect against cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more. In this article I will be providing you with a full overview of lycopene. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF LYCOPENE? Lycopene was first discovered and isolated in 1910. Its chemical structure was determined 21 years later in 1931. WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF LYCOPENE? Lycopene is an extremely powerful … [Read more...]
Beta Carotene Explained
WHAT IS BETA CAROTENE? Beta carotene is a bright orange carotenoid and phytonutrient (health boosting, plant based chemical compounds which are not classed as essential nutrients). It can be found in various vegetables and is used by your body to create vitamin A. In this article I will be taking a deeper look at beta carotene and how it affects the human body. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF BETA CAROTENE? Beta carotene was discovered and isolated by the German chemist Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Wackenroder in 1831. However, the relationship between beta carotene and vitamin A was not … [Read more...]
36 Impressive Phenolic Compound Health Benefits
The phenolic compounds are a large group of phytonutrients (non-essential, plant based nutrients that have a number of health benefits in humans). They can be broken down into the following 8 sub-groups: - Flavonoids. - Hydroxycinnamic Acids. - Monophenols. - Lignans. - Phenolic Acids. - Punicalagins. - Stilbenoids. - Tyrosol Esters. The phenolic compounds can be sourced from a wide range of fruits, herbs, nuts, vegetables, teas and wines. Whilst you do not technically need these natural nutrients to survive, failing to consume them means you will miss out on some significant health … [Read more...]
The Phenolic Compounds Explained
The phenolic compounds are a very large group of phytonutrients (plant based chemical compounds that have numerous health benefits in the human body but are not classed as essential nutrients). They can be found in a wide range of fruits, nuts, teas and vegetables and can be broken down further into 8 sub-groups: - Flavonoids (which include anthocyanins, chalconoids, coumestans, flavanones, flavanonols, flavan-3-ols, flavones, flavonols and isoflavones). - Hydroxycinnamic Acids (which include caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumarin and ferulic acid). - Monophenols (which include apiol, … [Read more...]
12 Promising Stilbenoid Health Benefits
The stilbenoids are a group of phytonutrients (plant based chemical compounds that have numerous health benefits in the human body but are not classed as essential nutrients). The 2 main stilbenoids are: - Pterostilbene. - Resveratrol. Blueberries, grapes and wine are the best natural food sources of stilbenoids but they can also be sourced from cocoa powder and peanuts in smaller amounts. Although they are not classed as essential nutrients, the stilbenoids have received a lot of praise in recent years for their ability to prevent ageing, fight disease and more. But are these claims … [Read more...]
The Punicalagins Explained
WHAT ARE PUNICALAGINS? The punicalagins are a group of phytonutrients (plant based chemical compounds that have numerous health benefits in the human body) which are mainly found in pomegranates. They are powerful antioxidants which may also have further health benefits in humans. In this article I will be taking a detailed look at the punicalagins. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF PUNICALAGINS? It is not known when the punicalagins were discovered but awareness of their potential health boosting properties dates back thousands of years with pomegranates being used as an ingredient in Indian … [Read more...]
The Stilbenoids Explained
WHAT ARE THE STILBENOIDS? The stilbenoids are a group of phytonutrients (plant based chemical compounds that have numerous health benefits in the human body but are not classed as essential nutrients) that can be found in various foods including blueberries, grapes and wine. Whilst the stilbenoids are not classed as essential nutrients, they are powerful antioxidants which can protect your body’s cells from free radicals (harmful substances that are released into your body’s cells during oxygen related reactions). Early evidence suggests that they may also have further health boosting … [Read more...]
Pterostilbene Explained
WHAT IS PTEROSTILBENE? Pterostilbene is a stilbenoid and phytonutrient (a group of chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and have multiple health benefits but are not considered essential to human health) that can be found in blueberries. Studies suggest that it may prevent cancer, heart disease and more. In this article I will be taking a detailed look at pterostilbene and its potential health benefits. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF PTEROSTILBENE? There is very little information available on the discovery of pterostilbene although scientific studies into the health benefits of … [Read more...]
Resveratrol Explained
WHAT IS RESVERATROL? Resveratrol is a stilbenoid and phytonutrient (a group of chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and have multiple health benefits but are not considered essential to human health) that is that is mainly found in grapes and wine. Studies have shown that it may prevent cancer, treat diabetes and more but currently none of these health benefits have been confirmed in humans. In this article I will be taking a deeper look at resveratrol and providing you with a full breakdown of this phytonutrient. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF RESVERATROL? Resveratrol was … [Read more...]