Why Is It Important to Consume Polyphenol-Based Foods or Phenolic Acids?
Phenolic acids are antioxidant compounds that account for approximately one-third of the total intake of dietary polyphenols obtained through nutrient-dense foods. Human beings usually roughly consume an estimated 20 to 25 mg of phenolic acids via plant foods per day, depending on the individual diet.
As per current scientific research and nutritional standards, it would be indeed surprising for you to know that your daily intake of phenolic acids should be at least approximately 200 mg per day or even higher in order to sustain your body's cellular health. While you can get an abundance of flavonoids easily from plant foods, is it not important to focus on getting your share of polyphenols of phenolic acid compounds as well?
Well, so the amount of polyphenols you can increase via your dietary consumption is directly correlated with the consumption of fresh or frozen vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that you would generally include in your diet.
Research authors hence suggest that for chronic disease prevention, the daily consumption of foods that are rich in phenolic compounds should be as high as 0.0353 ounces per day. These standard nutritional norms suggested by medical experts are not only considered to be generally safe, but consumption of phenolic compounds can benefit your long-term systemic immunity, preventing the individual predisposition to chronic illnesses or even the development of certain types of cancers.
Are Polyphenols Sufficient From Dietary Sources?
Most of the antioxidant compounds are present in nutrient-rich plant-based foods, be it plant protein sources like nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nut flours, and nut milk. They are usually high in flavonoid compounds. In fact, flavonoids are compounds that represent almost two-thirds of the antioxidant-based content found in plant foods, which can give you protection against the development of chronic diseases.
These naturally occurring flavonoids occur alongside nearly 8000 naturally occurring antioxidant-rich compounds that are documented in nutritional literature. Hence flavonoids are diverse, and commonly found in plant foods that are associated with the research-based benefits surrounding plant food consumption, to boost cellular immunity and strength. However, coming to phenolic acids, also commonly called polyphenols, represent only one-third of the total antioxidants found in plant foods.
So what are the nutritional models suggested by researchers currently in improving polyphenol intake via plant foods? As we know through current nutrition science, the more you consume healthy dietary fiber, the more improved would be your gut microbiome as well as your gastrointestinal health. Hence it is obvious that fiber-rich plant-based foods whether they are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, or seeds have a greater availability for your body cells and improved bioavailability in your system.
How Can Functional Foods Enriched With Polyphenols Benefit Health and Prevent Chronic Diseases?
Currently, nutrition research models are focused on the contents of functional foods designed by these food systems that develop an increasing content of polyphenols in the food matrix.
These functional foods can be not only useful in treating nutritional diseases, malabsorption syndrome, in improving gastrointestinal health and systemic immunity in high-risk population groups such as the pregnant or the lactating, the children, the geriatric communities but they can also be utilized in community level for preventing chronic disease progression or patterns based on the population needs that vary from region to region across the world.
Biological model systems, exhibit that foods that are rich in polyphenols can help possibly lower the bad or the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol oxidation pathways, in fighting oxidative stress and harmful free radicals that cause cancers, even in the synthesis of certain nanomaterials or supplements that can improve the bioavailability of polyphenol content in functional foods.
More research models are underway to demonstrate and utilize them in public food chains to avail maximum benefits from polyphenols in foods. Ranging from the introduction of polyphenols into functional food products like dairy products, cheese, meat, fish products, pasta, ice cream, and yogurt, the antimicrobial activity in these foods can also be significantly improved.
What Are the Antioxidant Extraction Methods?
Phenolic compounds that are commonly extracted from the seeds of grapes are procyanidin substances, while in the grape pomace, there can be different types of catechins, anthocyanins, stilbenes, flavonols with the anthocyanins and resveratrol antioxidant-rich compounds being localized in the skins or the berry of grapes, all of which are phenolic compounds and their by-products.
Currently, research is surrounding the global grape polyphenol market, as grapefruits are rich sources of polyphenols. The functional foods matrix from grape extracts or fruits is expected to rise by nearly 946.90 million USD (United States dollar) from the year 2023 with the trademark known now as polyphenol-fortified functional foods. So how are these polyphenol-based functional foods produced? These are through two methods, that is the conventional and non-conventional extraction methods.
These are the chosen methods for extracting antioxidants from plant food with the help of numerous technologies that vary from one country to another. These polyphenol extract technologies are generally the enlisted technologies of :
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Enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE).
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Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE).
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Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE).
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Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE).
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Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE).
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Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE).
Given below are the general dietary elements that are rich in polyphenols and that can be potential sources for extracting polyphenols.
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Fruits: Blueberries, plums, strawberries, blackberries, apples, cherries, currants, etc.
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Vegetables: Olives, artichokes, spinach, red onions, shallots, etc.
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Herbs and Spices: Turmeric, cloves, star anise, oregano, celery seed, sage, rosemary, thyme cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and peppermint.
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Nuts: Chestnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and pecans.
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Grains: Oats, rye, whole wheat, etc.
Conclusion:
Current nutrition research hence suggests that with the scientific knowledge about how best to improve the bioavailability of these essential phenolic compounds, there can be more production of healthy high-quality functional foods. These research models are the key to a promising future where antioxidant-rich functional foods can combat nutritional and systemic diseases, chronic disease progression, or even halt the progression of irregular mitotic activity initiated by cancer cells.
