Hey there, viewers.
Nutrients are important.
There’s the usual ones that you are used to hearing about.
I mean people will talk your ear off about the importance of Vitamin C and D. Well what
about Vitamin P?
I know what you’re thinking…
“Oh not another Vitamin I need to worry about!”
Well it's a little more complicated than you think.
Let’s talk about Facts You Need To Know About Vitamin P.
What is it made of?
What are its benefits?
Wait, is Vitamin P just a code name for something else entirely?
We’re talking all that AND more…
We’re kicking things off with a bit of a left turn.
Vitamin P is actually the term used for a group of plant compounds called flavonoids.
Hang on one second, we need to slow down and explain what flavonoids are, and what they
do for your health.
Flavonoids are found in fruits and veggies.
These phytonutrients are responsible for giving foods their vivid colors.
The next time you’re about to eat a beautiful, brightly-colored red tomato, thank the flavonoids
for making them look good.
So where does the name “Vitamin P” enter the picture?
Well when they were first extracted by scientists in the 1930’s, flavonoids were thought to
be a new type of Vitamin.
Because there were other Vitamin types before it, it was given the name Vitamin P. Keep
in mind, the name hasn’t really aged well.
Since flavonoids are not officially a Vitamin anymore, the name Vitamin P isn’t really
used.
This is probably why you haven’t heard of it before.
Along with the color they provide for different foods, flavonoids also protect plants from
UV rays, preventing them from becoming infected.
They can also do quite a bit for your health.
I’m talking about countless benefits here.
Allow me to explain further...
Hang on a second!
What’s your favorite colored fruit or vegetable?
How often do you eat it?
Is it something you can incorporate into larger meals?
Sound off in the comment section and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
So what details about flavonoids do we need to know?
Well first off, there’s over 6000 different types.
So I’m not exactly going to go through all of them today.
To make things easier, let’s talk about the 6 major flavonoid subclasses.
Starting with:
Flavonols
This is the most common type of flavonoid in your diet.
It features compounds you can’t even pronounce.
Heck, I’m not even going to try.
The mighty flavonol is mostly found in things like olive oil, red wine and tea.
When it comes to fruits and veggies, you’ll locate flavonols in onions, tomatoes, grapes
and berries.
Even tasty things like kale!
Just kidding...
Alright, I know I said I wouldn’t mention any of the compounds because of their difficult
pronunciation.
But you’ve made it this far, so what the heck?
There’s one compound I should mention.
You ready?
It’s a weird one…
Kaempferol.
It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?
This is an antioxidant that helps prevent oxidative stress in our cells and helps keep
the body in shape.
Let’s move on…
Flavones
I know, they all sound the same.Trust me, I’m not making this up.
Natural flavones are another important antioxidant.
They are found primarily in celery and chamomile.
Flavones can fight against inflammation.
Not only that, it also does battle with allergies and protects your cardiovascular system.
There is also evidence that it fights tumors.
Flavones are built to reduce oxidative stress in your body.
They work to decrease free radicals.
This will stop the body from deteriorating too quickly, slowing down the aging process
and preventing several diseases.
Flavon-3-ols
This one sounds really sciency.
These are a subclass of flavonoid that includes catechins, natural antioxidants found in both
black and green teas.
You can also find this type of flavonol in red wine, cacao, apples and grapes.
Flavanones
“Are you messing with me?
These just sound like one great big play on words”.
This subclass is located in citrus fruits.
I’m talking about all the classics.
Oranges, lemons, grapefruits.
Foods that give you the sour face.
The antioxidant powers of flavanones are said to reduce the risk of chronic disease.
This includes cardiovascular illness and even certain types of cancer.
Eating grapefruit might be a drag, but if you eat one on the regular, you will deal
with less inflammation, ulcers and allergic reactions.
This is all brought to you by the power of flavanones.
Isoflavones
These sound like things straight out of a science fiction movie.
Isoflavones contain a couple beneficial compounds.
These ones can be found in things like soybeans, chickpeas, fava beans and peanuts, among various
other products.
Isoflavones have been known to maintain the health of your blood vessels.
Eating foods with lots of isoflavones can increase the level of antioxidants in your
body, as well as keep your cells healthy.
Anthocyanins
I know, more complicated wording…
To be honest, it took even me a while to get the hang of this one.
As weird a word as it is, this flavonoid subclass contains properties that do a lot for your
health.
For one, they can stop inflammation in your body, and fight against bacteria.
When it comes to battling disease, they will maintain your blood pressure level.
They are also known to improve your vision.
Anthocyanins can work to lower your risk of cancer.
It does so by eliminating harmful cells.
On top of that, they can also decrease your chances of heart disease and diabetes.
Flavonoids like this are mostly found in foods that are colored purple, red or blue.
I’m talking about blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and grapes.
Don’t forget red wine as well.
Before we continue, are you looking to lose weight?
Are you struggling to balance out your carb intake?
Check out our recent video on High Carb Foods You Need To Avoid In Your Daily Diet.
Now let’s get back to our discussion on Vitamin P.
So now that we’re through talking about the different flavonoid subclasses, let’s
get into some other interesting facts…
How do flavonoids work?
Am I automatically healthy the second I bite into a juicy fruit or veggie?
Well, it really depends on what kind of mood your body’s in.
The influence that flavonoids have on your health is often determined by your metabolism.
This is where I really have to put on my nerd hat...
When you eat a food with flavonoids, they are broken down into metabolites that will
perform similar effects to the property they are processing.
The healthier your metabolism, the higher chance you have of these flavonoids working.
Your level of healthy gut bacteria is also said to play a role.
The more proteins and fibers you eat with those flavonoids, the better your digestion
will be.
This makes your gut bacteria really happy.
Now if instead you have too much unhealthy bacteria, your chances of benefiting from
flavonoids health effects aren’t as strong.
This is all the more motivation to eat better and take care of your stomach.
I know we’ve touched on them.
But let’s put a little more emphasis on some flavonoid health benefits.
Heart Disease
Countless scientific studies have been done to confirm exactly what effects flavonoids
have on your heart.
If you’re struggling with your heart health, this should put a smile on your face.
While a little more research needs to be done, these studies are leading people to believe
that consuming many different types of flavonoids can significantly lower your chances of heart
disease.
This includes damage to your blood vessels, coronary arteries and heart rhythm.
Cognitive Function
One of the things we haven’t really touched on are the positive effects flavonoids can
have on your brain.
Like heart disease, we have some research to back this up as well.
Experts claim that certain flavonoids can boost the health of your brain cells.
This will maintain your brain health and allow you to function better.
The properties of flavonoids will strengthen cells related to memory and thought.
All around, this will lower your risk of developing various brain diseases.
And remember when I quickly mentioned that flavones can prevent tumors?
Diabetes
Other research has emphasized the importance of flavonoids in the fight against diabetes.
One study from 2018 showed that a high intake of flavonoids was associated with a lower
risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
We all know a person who can benefit from this...
The study also went on to say that every 300 mg you consume each day will decrease your
risk of getting diabetes by 5%.
The specific flavonoids that fight diabetes are listed as flavonols, isoflavones and your
favorite… anthocyanidins.
Considering the fact that the rates of diabetes are increasing throughout the world, I see
this as a pretty big win.
Who knew those scientists in the 30’s had hit such a big jackpot?
Have you heard of Vitamin P?
What about flavonoids?
Are you going to eat more fruits and veggies after watching this video?
Let us know in the comments below.
We would love to hear from you!