What Are Phytonutrients? | Food With Life | TV series that travels the world, looking at new and old lifestyles that offer healthy ways to compliment our diets.

Here at the Hippocrates Health Institute we have been studying food for a very long time. We have found that there are certain nutrients in food that have a dramatic impact on human health. One of the most important and relatively recent discoveries is that of phytonutrients. These are chemicals in plants that help protect themselves in nature from germs, fungi, bugs, and disease. We are very excited about this discovery because these same chemicals happen to have a similar beneficial effect on us when we eat the plants.

Phytonutrients have powerful health-promoting properties including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Whenever you hear the word antioxidant think “anti-aging.” This is because antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause cellular damage which can lead to wrinkles and dry, sagging skin. Free radicals come from alcohol, air pollution, radiation, stress, coffee, and cooked food to name just a few. Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response wherever there is infection or injury. The affected area swells as your immune system sends more blood to deliver those components needed to recover.
Scientists have identified more than 25,000 phytonutrients in plant foods. Many phytonutrients give plants their distinctive colors such as the green, orange, and red in spinach, carrots, and bell peppers. Here are just a few:

Chlorophyll – wheatgrass, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, and in all leafy greens. Good for healthy blood, brain, all bodily tissues, detox, lowers blood pressure, glowing skin.
Beta-carotene – carrots, yams and green leafy vegetables. Good for Healthy eyes, skin, hair, bones, teeth and sex.
Lycopene – tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruits and apricots. Good for boosting the immune system and cancer of the mouth, esophagus, lung, stomach, intestines, prostate, cervical and colon.
Selenium – brazil nuts and walnuts. Boosting the immune system especially for people dealing with colds, flus, AIDS/ HIV, and tuberculosis. Excellent for the thyroid and it is anti-aging!
Diindolylmethane – broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and collard greens. Strengthens the immune system.
Allyl Sulfides – garlic, onions, and shallots. Strengthens the immune system, good for allergies, colds, and flu.
Curcuminoids – Turmeric. This phytonutrient has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, pro-digestive, and anti-infectious activities.

Organic fruits and vegetables have far more phytonutrients than nonorganic plants. This is because nonorganic plants become dependent upon the artificial, chemically-synthesized pesticides and fungicides farmers spray on them to help them grow. Consequently, the plants stop producing many of the antibodies needed to naturally deal with these challenges. Phytonutrients are also very sensitive to heat and are destroyed by the cooking process. Therefore fresh, ripe, raw, organic, and whole fruits, vegetables, and sprouts are the best source of these powerful defenders for your immune system. The Hippocrates store offers a supplement called “LifeGive Phyto-Enhanced+ “ which is a naturally occurring source of curcuminoids extracted from Turmeric.