Both flavonoids and vitamins are prevalent in fruits and vegetables, and they also occur in many other foods, including whole grains, beans and seeds. They share some characteristics, but also have some significant differences. Nonetheless, a diet high in both vitamins and flavonoids is considered a healthy way to eat and one that helps to prevent disease.
Vitamins
Vitamins are considered essential nutrients, meaning that you need them to survive. There are 13 different vitamins, including vitamins A,C,D,E and K and the complement of B vitamins. Some are water-soluble, which means that they are not stored in the body, but are used and excreted within a short period of time. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are stored in fat cells to be released as needed. Vitamins are made from organic compounds, unlike minerals, the other type of essential nutrients, which are inorganic.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are one class of phytochemicals, compounds synthesized by plants that offer health benefits when people consume them. The body doesn't need flavonoids to survive, but they can be beneficial. There are hundreds of flavonoids, and many more remain yet undiscovered. They can be arranged into smaller groups based on their structure and biological activity. Some groups of flavonoids include flavanols, flavonols, isoflavones and anthocyanidins. Flavonoids have been linked to a protective effect against some forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease, but studies on the potential benefits of flavonoids remain ongoing, so their full impact is yet unknown.
Antioxidant Properties
The antioxidant effects of both vitamins and flavonoids are widely touted. Antioxidants destroy dangerous molecules called free radicals, which roam the body scavenging electrons from DNA and cell membranes. However, not all vitamins and flavonoids act as antioxidants. Vitamins C, E and A have all been shown be antioxidants and many of the flavonoids exhibit antioxidant activity under laboratory conditions. Unfortunately, the antioxidant activity of flavonoids is significantly lower in the body than in the lab. This doesn't mean that they are useless, however, since they do display strong biological activity independent of their antioxidant capability.
Other Biological Effects
Vitamins operate in almost all tissues of the body, helping to build and maintain cells and contribute to cellular activity. Consumption of vitamins prevents deficiencies that can cause permanent damage. While flavonoids do not prevent deficiencies, they do perform many other biological activities. Flavonoids help to slow blood clotting by causing platelets not to stick together, thereby halting a potential contributing factor for heart disease. Flavonoids also decrease inflammation, inhibit the growth of blood vessels in tumors and aid the body in excreting toxic compounds that could lead to cancer.
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