Black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis L.)

Too much alliteration?

Ok, thought so too, but

flavonoids are phenolics which are phytochemicals,

so the alliterating F's help make a point!

[look for Wikipedia links in this article; they're this color!]

Ever wonder what natural compounds account for the aroma, flavor and color of vegetables and fruits?

The answer is flavonoids. Thousands of them.

How do we get them? Choose foods by The Color Code.

Interest by the public in flavonoids has been increasing due to the growing reputation of food antioxidants that can have beneficial roles in disease prevention.

The number of hits on Google for flavonoids is over 2 million, and on PubMed, an online database

just for medical research, there are more than 35,000 original publications on flavonoids

over the past 57 years!

 

Five Fun Flavonoid Facts

#1. Flavonoids are a large subfamily of phenolic compounds synthesized by plants as pigments that attract pollinators, repel pests and protect plant cells both from ultraviolet radiation and internal production of reactive oxygen species during photosynthesis.

#2. As a group, flavonoids are the most associated phytochemical class with antioxidant values in plant foods.

Scientists are keenly pursuing numerous potential health effects of flavonoids associated with colorful fruit and vegetable-rich diets. Even in people without disease, benefits may occur for the cardiovascular system, brain, joints, skin, urinary tract and healthy aging.

#3. Many of the biological effects of flavonoids seem to come from their ability to modulate communication between cells, a newly discovered mechanism of flavonoid action in addition to the more traditionally accepted antioxidant role.

#4. Scientists are examining flavonoids as “biological response modifiers”, a role where they may alter the body's responses to viruses, allergens, bacteria, carcinogens (cancer agents), inflammatory agents, and oxygen radicals.

#5. There are 6 major groups of dietary flavonoids. Although flavonoids are related by a common chemical structure (called in chemistry, a “phenolic ring”), at least 4,000 variations in flavonoid structure occur, and therefore more than 4,000 individual flavonoids in the plant kingdom!

 

BONUS!   If you are interested, the 6 groups are

i) Anthocyanidins. Also called flavonals. Parent structure to anthocyanins

found in red, blue, purple and black berries and grapes.

Present in dark wines. Examples: cyanidin, delphinidin.

ii) Flavanols. Found in black and green teas, berries, dark chocolate.

Single structures (“monomers”) are called catechins whereas

multiple-unit structures (“polymers”) are called proanthocyanidins.

iii) Flavanones. Characteristic of citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons),

members of this group include naringenin, silybin and hesperidin.

iv) Flavonols. Found in all plants with bright colors, such as berries, kale (dark green),

broccoli and bell peppers, this group includes quercetin and kaempferol.

v) Flavones. Represented by apigenin and luteolin, flavones are found

in herbs (chamomille, parsley) and subterranean plants like celery and radishes.

vi) Isoflavones. The signature group from soybeans and soy products

(tofu, soy milk), isoflavone members include genistein and daidzein.

 

Fifty Fun Facts, Issue #1 (black raspberry, blackberry, acai)

Fifty Fun Facts, Issue #2 (cranberry)

Fifty Fun Facts, Issue #3 (strawberry, grape antioxidants)

Fifty Fun Facts, Issue #4 (recipes)

 

Might information like this be of interest to someone you know?

Please suggest a visit to the Berry Doctor Sign-in Page!  Thanks.

See you next time for another round of five from Fifty Fun Facts About Berries!

Dr. Paul
The Berry Doctor