THE MIGHTY SCIENCE BEHIND SUPER FOODS

The fruits, vegetables, and grains your body needs to help fight cancer, curb inflammation, boost cell health — to live your best life right now

THERE ARE 30 TRILLION cells in THE ADULT BODY. REPEAT, 30 trillion. Tack on another 40 trillion estimated bacteria in your digestive tract and it’s not a stretch to say that what goes on inside your body may surprise you.

We all want to know what role clean nutrition plays in our health, and we hope that our clean-eating choices will pay off. Spoiler alert: You are on the right track. Besides the importance of exercise, the science is clear that a well-balanced diet of macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat), vitamins, and minerals is at the centre of peak performance. But look beyond the food label of macros and vitamins you'll find that phytonutrients — in fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, teas, and whole grains you consume — are the unsung heroes in your healthyliving quest.

WHAT ARE PHYTONUTRIENTS?

These compounds help protect plants from germs, fungi, and more. When consumed by humans, the plant powerhouses take on even more importance: They emerge as the active mechanisms in your favourite superfoods that help increase your energy, fight inflammation and heart disease, reduce cancer risk and muscle loss, curb ageing and neurodegeneration, and even influence your genetic response to cell damage. Yet, because they’re technically not essential for your body to function, they are sadly overlooked. After this deep dive, though, you’ll never underestimate another celery stick, or humble radish again!

Flavonoids

ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-CANCER, ENERGY-BOOSTING DYNAMOS

It’s the largest and most studied category of phytochemicals, accounting for an estimated 6000 of the tens of thousands of phytochemicals identified. There are 12 main subcategories of flavonoids, including anthocyanidins (berries, grapes, wine), catechins (tea, cocoa, grapes, apples), flavonols/ quercetin (onion, kale), eriodictyol (citrus fruits), and isoflavones (soybeans, legumes).

“Flavonoids have broad-reaching effects on the body, including antiallergic, antimicrobial, and even estrogen modulating”, says naturopathic physician Jennifer Stagg, author of Unzip Your Genes: 5 Choices to Reveal a Radically Radiant You. They are scavengers of cell-damaging free radicals; plus, they contain lesser-known compounds that act at the genetic level. They’re a major reason why epigenetics (the study of how nutrition impacts gene expression) is on the rise. Two of the most widely studied flavonoids that impact metabolism are EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), found in green tea, and curcumin from turmeric. Forage for these four favourite flavonoids:

LUTEOLIN

A type of flavonoid found in parsley and celery that's been shown to reduce inflamation. In a study out this year in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, consuming luteolin helped curb inflamation in mice with autism and animals with gout, a type of imflamatory arthritis. It's also  a key cancer fighter. New Research in the Jorunal of Cell Physiology found that cancer cells in the ovaries were significanlty reduced when treated with luteolin.

EGCG

This fat-fighting catechin has long been touted by green tea lovers, thanks to its ability to regulate gene expresion of adipose (fat) tissue and to boost the activity of a key coactivator (PGC-1a) that oxidizes acids.

ANTHOCYANIN

Found in abundance in blueberries and other red, blue, and purple berries; red radishes; and even purple carrots, anthocyanins can helpp halt natural cell death by preventing oxidation and promoting detoxifying enzumes, research shows. Plus, they activate a gene (NRF2) that kicks on an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory response, according to numerous studies.

CURCUMIN

Found in the spice turmeric, curcumin is having a serious moment in the limelight. Research points to it helping fight infections, cancer, stomach ulcers, and inflammation, among other conditions, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. From Gwyneth Paltrow's golden-milk recipe to 4000-year-old curry preparation, there are infinite ways to add a dash of the antioxidant-rich spice to your daily foods.

Ursolic Acid

MUSCLE MAKER AND ANTI-AGEING HELPER

The humble apple and that Southern charmer, the green tomato (not fried, though!), may be your new best buddies when it comes to building sleek muscle. Research from Free Radical Biology & Medicine points to a combo of phytonutrients, including ursolic acid, as benefi cial for skeletal muscle adaptations in strength and endurance training. Other research shows it can block the loss of muscle mass by suppressing inflammation and reducing the activity of a protein (ATF4) that works against muscles as we age.

Chlorogenic Acid (CA)

FAT FIGHTERS

If you want to lose more fat, get more CA in your diet. Found in coff ee (especially green coff ee beans, sunflower seeds, tea, and even potato skins), CA has a growing list of benefi ts, including improving liver and gallbladder function. CA can also improve lipid metabolism, even if you’re on a high-fat diet, according to a study on obese mice, which found CA lowered body weight and visceral fat mass and improved obesity-related hormone levels. Plus, the journal Fitoterapia found that yerba mate tea extract, which is chock-full of CA, can help reduce the formation of unhealthy advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that cause oxidative cell damage by 83%.

Carotenoids

EYE HEALTH, CARDIO PERFORMANCE, ANTI - CANCER, AND ANTI-INFLAMMATION COMPOUNDS

Carotenoids help make life more colourful, literally. Carrots, for example, help you see better. This category of phytonutrients includes more than 750 pigments, and the most popular in our diets include beta-carotene (carrots, sweet potatoes), lycopene (tomatoes), and lutein and zeaxanthin (leafy greens and egg yolks).

Rick Hay, author of The Anti Ageing Food & Fitness Plan, emphasises the need to “eat all the colours” of food because they do more than protect your peepers: “Carotenoids in orange and yellow fruit and veggies help with cardio performance and health”, says Hay. Plus, “they provide the ‘juice’ our immune system’s cells need to be efficient", says Mark Menolascino, MD, key medical opinion leader at Lycored.

Carotenoids produce vitamin A in our bodies and are key for normal growth and development and for a healthy immune system. According to analysis in the British Journal of Nutrition, beta-carotene has also been linked to reduced heart disease risk. Plus, apiaceous vegetables, of which carrots, parsnips, and celery are examples, can help stop procarcinogenic (read: toxic)  enzymes in their tracks, improving cell survival rates, according to research in Food and Chemical Toxicology.

Another carotenoid you’ve probably heard of is lycopene, which is abundant in tomatoes and is also found in watermelon, papaya, red carrots, and some non-red vegetables such as asparagus and parsley. Note: Some red fruits such as strawberries and cherries do not contain it. “Lycopene is the most potent of the carotenoids; it concentrates in your cell’s membranes to help protect against free radicals and toxins. Research shows it may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including skin cancer [creating an ultraviolet-ray-blocking effect] and prostate cancer”, says Menolascino. New research from China found that lycopene helped boost heart-cell viability of mice by 81.75% and decreased cell death rate by 17%.

“Tomatoes can provide up to 80% of your total daily needs. Though there is no recommended daily allowance [for lycopene], adults should consume 15 000 IU or 10mg per day”, says Menolascino.