Fight Disease And Keep Your Blood Healthy With The Flavonoids

The flavonoids are a group of nutrients found in plants that boost your health in many ways. Despite not being considered essential nutrients, more and more people are now adding flavonoids to their diets in order to take full advantage of their health benefits. In this article I will be discussing 3 of the flavonoids in greater detail, outlining some of the richest food sources and providing an overview of their main health benefits.

1) FLAVAN-3-OLS

The flavan-3-ols can be found in various foods but dark chocolate and tea (black, green and oolong) are 2 of the richest sources. That means you can easily top up on these flavonoids every time you are thirsty. Just pop the kettle on, brew up and have a drink.

By consuming flavan-3-ols on a regular basis you can start enjoying many health benefits. These powerful nutrients are antihistamines (substances that counteract the effect of histamine and prevent allergic reactions) and antioxidants (substances that protect your body's cells from damaging free radicals which are released during oxygen related reactions). They also help keep you safe from many diseases and disorders including Alzheimer's disease (a mental disorder which impairs your memory and speech), cancer (a disease which leads to your cells growing in a rapid, uncontrollable way) and diabetes (a disease which leads to your blood glucose levels becoming extremely high). In addition to this, these flavonoids give your blood a boost by preventing arteriosclerosis (a condition where your artery walls harden and lose elasticity) and reducing high blood pressure.

2) FLAVONOLS

The flavonols can be found in a wide variety of plant based foods. Fruits (such as apples, blueberries and cranberries), herbs (such as chives and dillweed), nuts (such as almonds) and vegetables (such as onions, peppers and spinach) are all fantastic sources which means you really have no excuses when it comes to including them to your diet. If you are not a fan of flavonol rich fruits, go for nuts. If you do not cook with herbs, try adding some flavonol rich vegetables instead.

In terms of health benefits, the flavonols are also antihistamines and antioxidants. In addition to this, they fight numerous diseases including arthritis (inflammation of the joints), cancer, diabetes and haemophilia (a disease which leads to uncontrollable bleeding). These flavonoids also keep your blood healthy by improving circulation, reducing blood levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that causes blockages in your artery walls) and strengthening the capillaries (the smallest blood vessels in the human body).

3) ISOFLAVONES

Soy beans and soy based products are the best isoflavone food sources with green soy beans, soy milk and soy protein all containing good levels of these nutrients. Adding soy to your diet is not as difficult as you might imagine. Soy bean salads are now available from many supermarkets and you can also use soy beans as an extra ingredient in your cooking. If you fancy a change, you could even substitute your regular milk for soy milk or your whey protein for soy protein.

By adding soy to your diet you can enjoy numerous health benefits. The isoflavones are powerful antioxidants which also prevent cancer and diabetes. In addition to this, these flavonoids keep your bones healthy by stimulating the production of osteoblasts (cells that produce bone mass).