Ellagic acid is a phenol found in many nutrient-rich plants. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that ellagic acid has strong antioxidant properties. Research using rats and cell cultures has shown that ellagic acid may slow the growth of cancers caused by carcinogens. However, more research is required to determine whether ellagic acid provides protection against cancer in humans, according to the American Cancer Society.
Berries
Ellagic acid is the main phenol found in strawberries and in berries of the genus Rubus, which includes red raspberry, arctic bramble and cloudberry. The juice of these fruits contains little ellagic acid; rather, the pulp and seeds contain the phenol, so it is important to eat the whole berry. A study published in 1989 in the "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis" found that 95 percent of the ellagic acid in strawberries is in the pulp and that for raspberries 88 percent of the ellagic acid is in the seeds. Other berries that contain ellagic acid include cranberries, blackberries and blueberries.
Nuts
Most nuts contain ellagic acid, but walnuts and pecans contain the highest levels. Walnuts contain 590 mcg of ellagic acid, almost as much as strawberries, which contain 630 mcg. Pecans contain approximately half that amount, or 330 mcg, of ellagic acid, according to the 1989 paper in the "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis." To ingest this phenol, walnuts and pecans can be eaten dry roasted, toasted, fresh or in pies and baking, since heat and processing do not diminish the ellagic acid content.
Other Foods
Other fruits that contain ellagic acid include pomegranates, grapes, apples, pears, kiwis, peaches and plums. Freeze-drying and processing do not destroy the ellagic acid, making dried or canned fruits an alternative source of the phenol. Strawberry and raspberry leaves contain ellagic acid, and dried leaves of these plants are often used as a dietary supplement. Eating natural food sources of ellagic acid is considered safe, according to the American Cancer Society. However, consult with your doctor before taking ellagic acid dietary supplements.
References
- Ohio State University: Evaluation of Ellagic Acid Content of Ohio Berries
- American Cancer Society: Ellagic Acid
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Ellagic Acid
- "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis"; Extraction, Stability, and Quantitation of Ellagic Acid in Various Fruits and Nuts; Elaine M. Daniel et al.; December 1989
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