Ellagic acid is a plant-based compound found in many red fruits and berries, as well as some nuts. Ellagic acid regulates growth and fights infection. As an antioxidant, it helps keeps cells healthy by removing tissue-damaging molecules in the body called free radicals. Ellagic acid may also provide anti-inflammatory benefits and inhibit cancer growth.
Sources
The best food sources of ellagic acid are raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, grapes, pomegranates, dewberries, walnuts and pecans. Ellagic acid supplements are available, but it's better to get it from natural food sources. Fruits and nuts contain a variety of antioxidant chemicals, and the health benefits of eating them together are better than when taking one alone as a supplement, reports Oregon State University.
Raspberries
Considered to be the best source of ellagic acid, Oregon State University studied raspberries to determine how much of the antioxidant they provide. A fresh, medium-sized red raspberry contains 3.39 mg per g dry weight of ellagic acid and has a total ORAC score of 24, which is similar to blueberries. The ORAC, or oxygen radical absorbance capacity, score measures the antioxidant capacities of substances found in food.
Benefits
In addition to being an antioxidant, ellagic acid may also bind cancer causing chemicals and inhibit the growth of liver, esophageal, prostate and colorectal cancers. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering reports that ellagic acid may also reduce inflammation and cholesterol.
Studies
The Nutrition Journal published research by Arpita Basu et al. in September 2009 that studied the blood level of ellagic acid from strawberries and its effect on cholesterol. They reported that cholesterol in the subjects dropped 5 to 6 percent in four weeks. In the January-February 2001 issue of Anticancer Research, B. Narayanan and G. Re reported that ellagic acid inhibited growth in colon cancer cells.
Warnings
Ellagic acid interferes with enzymes that help metabolize cholesterol, hormones, vitamin D and more than 40 medications. Since this may increase or decrease the amount of drug in your system, talk to your health care provider before taking ellagic acid supplements if you're on any medications. Ellagic acid is sold as a dietary supplement, which means it is not regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration, therefore some products may not contain the amount of ellagic acid written on the label.
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