Phytonutrients The Micronutrient You Need To Know

With over 5000 known phytonutrients it always amazes me that they aren’t talked about more and today we are going to change that. Plant foods contain thousands of natural chemicals which help the body as a whole.

Phytonutrients:Micronutrients (Phyto) meaning plant of nutrient substances.

Phytonutrients are natural compounds found in plant foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grain products and legumes. Many phytochemicals give the foods their color or smell. Foods containing phytochemicals are often very colorful, but white foods such as onions, garlic, and even olive oil are high in these nutrients.

Some of the most common phytonutrients are:

carotenoids/ellagic acid/resveratrol/flavonoids/phytoestrogens/glucosinolates

Six Phytonutrients Examples:

1.Red (Lycopene)One of the 600 Carotenoids (any of a class of mainly yellow, orange, or red fat-soluble pigments, including carotene, which give color to plant parts such as ripe tomatoes and autumn leaves)

Reduce the risk of prostate cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Fruits and Vegetables: Cherries, Cranberries, Mangos, Watermelon, Papaya, Beets, Red onions, Red potatoes, Red peppers

2.Orange and Yellow(Beta-Carotene) Reduce risk of breast cancer, colon and lung cancer, stroke and heart disease.

Helps to enhance immune function, and protects against premature again of cells

Fruits and Vegetables: Grapefruit, Mango, Oranges, Peaches, Carrots, Yellow corn, Yams, Sweet potatoes

3.Blue(Anthocyanidins) Promotes artery health, protection from blood clots, cancer, DNA damage.

Supports urinary tract health and memory

Fruits and Vegetables: Blackberries, Elderberries, Plums, Eggplant, Raisins, Black cherries, Beets, Blueberries, Purple tomatoes

4.Green( Lutein) Protects DNA by neutralizing free radicals and oxidation. May reduce numerous cancers, heart disease and Alzheimers.

Fruits and Vegetables: Collard greens, Mustard greens, Spinach, Brussels sprouts, Kiwis, Green grapes, Green pears, Honeydew, Melons

5. Blue/Green(Indole) Protects against estrogen-induced cancer cell growth, stimulates bone growth, promotes muscle growth and joint health

Vegetables: Bok choy, Collard greens, Radish, Mustard greens, Wasabi, Cauliflower, Watercress, Kale

6.White/Tan (Allicin) Anti-cancer properties, immune support, reduce risk of heart disease, and microbiome

Fruits and Vegetables: Bananas, Brown pear, White Peaches, Turnips, White corn, White potatoes, Parsnips

Always consult with your doctor or a trusted physician if you have any concerns before changing your regular diet or taking new supplements.

Check back for another post later this week! If you have any questions let me know!

Advertisement

Vitamins

Hey everyone, welcome back to my space; today, we will be going over three amazing vitamins and a few of their deficiencies. If you have any concerns or questions, drop them in the comment box below or consult with a trusted physician/herbalist. 

 Deficiency: the quality or state of being defective or of lacking some necessary quality or element

Today we are going over Vitamin: A / C / Calcium.

If there is anything you want to know more about or need recipes, please leave a comment below, and I’ll do a post for you. 

Starting with Calcium: 

Calcium is a mineral found in many foods. The body needs calcium to maintain strong bones and to carry out many essential functions. Almost all calcium is stored in bones and teeth, where it supports their structure and hardness.

Herbs and spices are potent sources of nutrition, including calcium. The most effective way to consume calcium is in small doses throughout the day, so emphasizing the use of the following herbs and spices can be better than taking it all in at once or trying to rely on supplements for your daily recommended value (%DV)

(To read more on how much you may need, check out https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-calcium-do-you-really-need )

Calcium Deficiency:

Hypocalcemia, also known as a calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low calcium levels. A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle. A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms.

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms:

• Confusion or memory loss.
• Muscle spasms.
• Numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, and face.
• Depression.
• Hallucinations.
• Muscle cramps.
• Weak and brittle nails.
• Easy fracturing of the bones.

Herbs Used For Calcium:

Fresh and Dried Basil 

Dried Savory 

Dried Marjoram

Dried Thyme

Dried Sage

Cinnamon

Stinging Nettle

Dried Rosemary

Dried Dill 

Fruits & Veggies For Calcium:

Spinach 145mg/cup 

Edamame 100 mg/cup

Orange 65 mg/1 orange

Broccoli 60mg/cup

Span Peas 55mg/cup

Tomato 30mg/2 tomatos 

Arugula 30mg/cup

Fig 40mg/2 figs

White Beans 160mg/cup

Soy Beans 175mg/cup

Pumpkin Mashed 40mg/cup 

Cabbage 35mg/cup

Seeds:

 Poppy seeds pack 126mg 

Sesame seeds 126mg 

Nuts:

Almonds 30mg/9 nuts 

Brazil nuts 25mg/3 nuts 

Vitamin A: ( Stored in the liver)

 Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, and reproduction. Vitamin A also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs work properly. Vitamin A can take one of three forms in the human body: retinol, retinal and retinoic acid.

(For a better explanation of how vitamin a works as far as the measurement, check out this post-https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/vitamins/a/intake-recommendations.html)

Vitamin A Deficiency: 

Xerophthalmia is the term for the expression of vitamin A deficiency. This happens when you don’t consume or enough vitamin A from your diet or properly absorb or convert the vitamin A you consume. 

Vitamin A Deficiency Symptoms: 

• Alcoholism
• Gluten-sensitive
• Leaky gut syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBS, Crohn’s, or ulcerative colitis)
• Pancreatic disorders or a lack of bile from the gallbladder (bile helps break down fat and absorb fat-soluble vitamins)
• Liver damage or disease
• Low stomach acid, heartburn, or GERD
• Severe calorie restriction, potentially tied to an eating disorder

Herbs Used For Vitamin A:

Basil

Spinach 

Parsley 

Thyme 

Sage 

Watercress 

Fruits and Vegetables For Vitamin A:  

100 G / IU ( international units per day) DV ( daily value)

1/2 c of Carrots 459 MCG- 51% of the DV

1 Sweet Potato 1,403 MG – 156% of the DV 

1 c of boiled Black-eyed peas 66 MCG-7% of the DV

1/2 c of Spinach 573 MCG- 64% of the DV

Other significant sources of Vitamin A 

Butternut squash 

Red bell pepper 

Mango 

Tomatoes 

Parsley 

Tuna

Shrimp

Cod liver oil

Eggs 

Goat Cheese 

Vitamin C ( Per 100 G) 

Vitamin C is a vitamin found in various foods and sold as a dietary supplement. It is used to prevent and treat scurvy. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in repairing tissue and more.

Vitamin C Deficiency:

Scurvy is the name for a vitamin C deficiency. It can lead to anemia, debility, exhaustion, spontaneous bleeding, pain in the limbs, and especially the legs, swelling in some parts of the body, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and teeth loss.

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms:

• Rough, Bumpy Skin
• Corkscrew-Shaped Body Hair
• Bright Red Hair Follicles. 
• Spoon-Shaped Fingernails With Red Spots or Lines
• Dry, Damaged Skin
• Easy Bruising
• Slowly Healing Wounds
• Painful, Swollen Joints

Herbs Used For Vitamin C :

Chili Peppers

Thyme 

Parsley 

Basil 

Fruits and Vegetables: 

Green bell peppers 80.4 MG

Pummelo 61 MG

Longan Fruit 84 MG

Guava 228 MG

Strawberry 58.8 MG

Lime 29.1 MG

Lemon 52 MG

Brussels Sprouts 85 MG

Grapefruit 31.2 MG

Sun-dried Tomato 39.2 MG

Questions you may have?

What is the difference between calcium and vitamin C?

Both calcium and vitamin C are important essential nutrients for your body, but they’re nothing alike. Calcium is typically a metal, but when it loses 2 electrons, it becomes a nutritional mineral your body can use to regulate some of its processes. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a molecule made from multiple atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It is found in high concentrations in immune cells, and it is a co-factor that allows certain enzymes to do their job. Those are just 2 of the many things it’s good for.

Is It Possible to Have a Vitamin C Overdose?

The maximum recommended amount, or upper limit, is 2,000mg per day for all adults. When a person takes more than the recommended limit of vitamin C, they may experience mild digestive disturbances. These can occur if the vitamin C that the body does not absorb irritates the gastrointestinal tract. In lighter terms, yes. To read more about it, check out this post-https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326249#how-much-is-too-much.

Check back tomorrow for another post.

References:

Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin A. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/.

Click to access Juicefactsandmyths.pdf

https://www.viridian-nutrition.com/blog/nutrition-news-and-views/what-does-an-iu-measure-in-vitamins