Which Fruits Are High In Bioflavonoids?

Along with essential nutrients, plant-based foods provide many phytochemicals, which might offer additional health benefits. Bioflavonoids, or flavonoids, include many categories of compounds, and a higher intake might reduce your risk for heart disease. Soybeans, vegetables, chocolate, tea and fruit are sources of various flavonoids, and many fruits with bioflavonoids also provide potassium, fiber and vitamins.

Citrus Fruits

Lemons, oranges, grapefruits and their juices provide a class of bioflavonoids called flavanones, including hesperidin, naringenin and eriodictyol. The peels of citrus fruits are also good sources of flavonoids, and you can work them into your diet by using the zest from the peel to flavor recipes, such as baked goods, custards or sauces. Citrus bioflavonoid supplements are available to help you increase your intake of bioflavonoids, but they do not provide the fiber and vitamin C you get from whole fruits.

Berries

Classes of flavonoids that you can get from blue, purple and red berries include anthocyanidins and flavanols, including catechins and proanthocyanidins. Examples of sources include bilberries, elderberries, blueberries and black currants. Berries are rich sources of dietary fiber and potassium, and they are low in calories. Many kinds of berries are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that might support heart health.

Grapes

Bioflavonoids in grapes and grape products, such as red wine and grape juice, are anthocyanidins and flavanols. They also contain an antioxidant called resveratrol. Benefits of the resveratrol from grapes, grape juice and red wine might include lower LDL cholesterol and a lower risk for heart disease, but a high intake of alcohol increases your risk for accidents and high triglycerides. To reduce your risk, women should have no more than one 5 oz. glass of wine per day, and men should have no more than two 5 oz. glasses per day, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Apples

Apples provide proanthocyanidins and catechins, which are flavanols, as well as flavonols. Other good sources of these bioflavonoids include green tea, chocolate and some vegetables, such as scallions, onions, broccoli and kale. Apples are good sources of dietary fiber, which lowers your cholesterol levels, and they make good low-calorie snacks and desserts to help you control your weight and improve your heart health.