Phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, are naturally occurring substances in plants that help them fight disease, fungi and bacteria while they are growing -- a kind of immune system for the plant world. When you ingest plant-based foods, you are taking in these powerful nutrients, which may prove particularly effective in cancer and heart disease prevention. Diets that make good use of a wide array of fruits and vegetables help to ensure you get a high phytochemical intake.
Defining Phytochemicals
Not only do phytochemicals protect plants during their growing cycles, but they also give them their colors, tastes and smells. In the human body, different phytochemicals produce different effects. Therefore, consuming a wide range of colors and types of fruits, vegetables, grains and beans on a daily basis provides you with a high phytochemical diet that may lower your risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Common categories of phytochemicals include flavonoids, carotenoids, isoflavones and sulfur compounds.
Breakfasts
To optimize your phytochemical intake, start your day with a bowl of fresh mixed berries and a cup of green tea, both of which contain flavonoids. These phytochemicals help to protect against the damaging effects of oxidative stress, which has links to inflammation, coronary heart disease and cancer. Add a handful of nuts, a good source of phytosterols, which help to decrease your risk of cardiovascular problems. Or, try a bowl of whole-grain cereal, which supplies lignans -- phytochemicals with both cardiovascular and anti-cancer properties. Soy milk adds protein and isoflavones, which may help to ease both menopausal and prostate problems.
Lunches
For lunch, have a fresh salad made with leafy greens, a good source of lutein, which supports eye health and may help to cut your risk of heart disease and breast cancer. Add some cut tomatoes and carrots, which are rich in powerful anti-inflammatory carotenoids. Toss on some fresh broccoli for its sulfur compounds, which have anti-cancer benefits. Or, opt for a burrito made with beans, a good source of saponins, which help to deter the replication of cancer cells.
Dinners
Serve whole-grain pasta with freshly cooked tomato sauce to reap the benefits of lignans and lycopene, a phytochemical that may reduce cancer risk. Cook the tomatoes with plenty of onions or garlic for their allicin, which aids in cardiovascular protection. Or, try a stir-fry made with brightly colored vegetables and tofu or tempeh, which provide isoflavones. Enjoy a glass of red wine with your meal for resveratrol, an anti-inflammatory phytochemical that may help to reduce cholesterol and prevent blood clots. Top off your dinner with an ounce of dark chocolate or a handful of strawberries, both good sources of flavonoids.
References
- "Staying Healthy with Nutrition"; Elson Haas, M.D.; 2006
- Stanford Medicine Cancer Institute: Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk
- Linus Pauling Institute; Antioxidant Activities of Flavonoids; Dr. Donald R. Buhler and Dr. Cristobal Miranda; November 2000
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Phytochemicals; February 2009
- "Nutrition Science News"; Phytochemicals: The Ties That Bind; C. Leigh Broadhurst, Ph.D.; July 2001
- Oregon Health & Science University: Nutrition and Cancer - Phytochemicals, Antioxidants and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
