Bioflavonoids, also known as flavonoids, are categories of “phenolic compounds,” the phytochemicals of natural origin. They were once also called vitamin P. These substances have many properties that benefit health in the body, and studies have already identified more than 8,000 flavonoids, found in a wide variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, cocoa, extra virgin olive oil, teas, and wine.
Bioflavonoids were discovered in science around 1930 by Nobel Prize winner Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, while he was trying to isolate vitamin C. But it was only from the 1990s onward that interest in these compounds, which are abundant in plant foods, began to grow, and their powerful properties started to be revealed. The first property observed was a protective action on the capillarity of blood vessels, being able to stop bleeding gums.
Benefits of Bioflavonoids
Research today shows that bioflavonoids have antioxidant capabilities, able to react with free radicals, which slows down the aging of cells. We also know about their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, vasodilatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anticancer, antibiotic, and antiviral actions.
There are studies beginning to show the action of some flavonoids, such as catechin, against hepatitis and the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV. Even so, it does not prevent infection, but it can help in some way with treatment.
It may also help in the fight against the viruses of polio, herpes, syncytial, parainfluenza, echovirus, rhinovirus, among others. Catechin is found in high amounts in matcha, a green tea extract. But the dose used in studies is high, from 500 to 750 mg three times a day.
Other Properties
Other properties found in bioflavonoids include:
- Anesthetic, especially for muscle pain
- Antispasmodic
- Antiallergic
- Prevents bruising
- Antihemorrhagic
- Immunomodulatory
Bioflavonoids found in fruit peels, especially citrus fruits, also help fight varicose veins (varicose and spider veins), hemorrhoids, and bleeding, as they strengthen vein walls and help give them more elasticity and tone. Rutin is the name of one of these bioflavonoids, also called citroflavonoids, which help relieve varicose veins.
In the past, this benefit was only attributed to vitamin C in foods, but later it was concluded that it is a combined action. For those who bruise easily, vitamin C with citrus bioflavonoids are also recommended.
Sources of Bioflavonoids
There is a large amount of foods that are sources of these organic compounds. And they are foods that are easily available at any market. The easiest way to recognize them is from the assumption that the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the richer in flavonoids it will be.
Bioflavonoids are divided into categories: flavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, and anthocyanidins. Citrus fruits are the main sources of bioflavonoids known as quercetin, rutin, hesperidin, limonene, and naringin.
Quercetin is found in onion (with a concentration of 284 to 486 mg/kg), a yellow-green pigment flavonoid, also present in apples, cherries, broccoli, grapes, buckwheat, and red cabbage. Flavonoids with a reddish pigment are found in fruits such as strawberry, grape, apple, blueberry, cranberry, pomegranate, and raspberry. About 95% of the total flavonoids consumed are usually quercetin, the most abundant in foods.
Anthocyanins, flavones, and flavan-3-ol are other components that can help prevent high blood pressure and are present in fruits, vegetables, teas, and wines. In addition, bioflavonoids are also found in grains and seeds, such as soy, flaxseed, and nuts, and in beverages like coffee, wine, tea, and beer. Cocoa and honey are also sources of bioflavonoids.
Daily Intake of Bioflavonoids
Daily, the amount of bioflavonoids consumed is distributed approximately as follows:
- 162 mg in vegetables and herbs
- 79 mg in potatoes
- 45 mg in grains and nuts
- 44 mg in cereals
There is still no research that explains precisely the total amount of bioflavonoids that a human should consume per day, but it is estimated that this amount varies between 26 mg and 1 g per day. There are still more discoveries to be made about the functions of these compounds for health and how to optimize them in the diet.
See Also: Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Photo: byrev, Soorelis
