A century of research shows that consuming polyphenol-rich foods may protect against heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. This was reported by Speech.
Polyphenols are a family of chemical compounds found in plant foods and seaweeds that have been studied for nearly a century for their health effects. In the 20th century, it was discovered that they are antioxidants, that is, they can prevent harmful free radicals in the body, which contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. More than eight thousand different polyphenolic compounds have been found in plants. They produce polyphenols to protect against drought and sunlight.
Recent research has shown that polyphenols play an important role in maintaining healthy gut microbes, as well as helping to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. This has been observed not only under laboratory conditions, but also in numerous clinical trials with humans.
Some of the polyphenols processed by gut bacteria can cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning they can enter the brain, where they may reduce inflammation associated with an increased risk of dementia and depression.
The talk notes that there are many aspects of dietary polyphenols that need to be studied, such as why not all people respond to polyphenols the same way.
Previous scientists I learnedo wine reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.