Phytochemicals or “Fighto” Chemicals

Diana W. Wright, PhD, RD

Your mama was right when it comes to eating your fruits and vegetables. As it turns out, they really are good for you. Below are just a few of the thousands of phytochemicals naturally occurring in plants. None of these are considered essential in the diet, yet many have health promoting benefits when consumed from whole foods. They act in many ways to promote health including:

As antioxidants (protect cells from oxidative damage)

As anti-coagulants (slow blood clotting)

To neutralize potentially dangerous enzymes in the gut

To reduce DNA damage

To enhance cell and/or DNA repair mechanisms

To reduce plaque formation associated with LDL (bad) cholesterol

In general, diets rich in phytochemicals from fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes and whole grains reduce (but do not eliminate!) the risk of some cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other maladies. So, check out the partial list of phytochemicals below and see if you can’t find a few foods that can enhance your daily intake of these healthy plant chemicals!

Phytochemical Food Sources

Allicin garlic, onions, leeks,

scallions

Carotenes carrots, red, yellow and

dark green veggies and fruits

Flavinoids apple, celery, soy, black &

green tea, strawberries

Indoles broccoli, brussel sprouts,

cauliflower (aka the smelly vegetables!)

Lignans flaxseed meal, seaweed, bran,

soybeans

Saponins beans, whole grains, apple, celery, tea,