Do you know what flavonoids are? Flavonoids are a group of bioactive compounds found in many foodstuffs derived from plants. Flavonoids are similar to antioxidants, which have a variety of benefits for your body, such as can repair cells damaged by free radicals. Flavonoid supplements are also thought to reduce the risk of cancer, hypertension, and diabetes.
Fruits and vegetables are a good source of food for you. That's because, both vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoid content.
This Source of Food Containing Flavonoids
You may already know the benefits of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene are good for your body, right? Just like antioxidants, flavonoids have great benefits and roles for your body's health.
Then, what food sources contain many flavonoid compounds? Some foods and drinks that are believed to contain these amazing compounds, such as:
- Rosella
Rosella extract is believed to be good for treating high cholesterol, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. However, the use of this herb as a treatment still needs further investigation because there is no adequate study in humans to assess safety, effective dose, and side effects for health.
- Apple
Inside the apple contained flavonoids called quercetin. The content of this compound allows you to not frequent visits to the doctor for treatment. Quercetin is said to prevent heart attacks, prevent cataracts, control asthma, and accelerate the healing rise in your stomach acid. But this study is still limited to animals. The effects of quercetin compounds on cardiovascular health in humans have not been studied and still require further study.
- Red grape
Red grape is apparently rich in flavonoid content that can reduce the risk of heart disease. If indeed you are not a drinker, you can benefit from this by drinking purple grape juice. This flavonoid contained in red grape skin dye.
- Sour sop
Fruits that grow in tropical areas contain antioxidants such as phenol (a type of flavonoid), potassium, vitamin C, E. This content is said to be efficacious to treat some diseases such as cancer and hypertension. Antioxidants in sour sop can also help reduce free radicals. Although considered to be good, further studies are needed to ensure the effect of treatment, effective dosage, and side effects of using this supplement in humans.
- Starfruit
The fruit named latin Averrhoa Bilimbi is high in Vitamin C, oxalic acid, tannins, amino acids, and antioxidants such as flavonoids. This traditional plant is believed to be useful for treating hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, and diabetes. But this effect is still limited to animal studies. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the effective dose and side effects of its use in humans. In addition, this fruit contains a lot of oxalic acid which if consumed in excess can aggravate the condition of acute renal failure.
- Soybeans
One source of high flavonoids found in soybeans. Several recent studies suggest that soybeans are thought to have benefits in preventing breast cancer, helping to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes, reduce cholesterol, and help reduce menopausal symptoms. But this fact still needs to be investigated further.
In addition, flavonoids are also commonly found in other food or beverage sources such as green tea, oranges, pars, spices, and grains.
Benefits and Risks of Flavonoids for You
Bioflavonoids or flavonoids have a tremendous variety of benefits for your body. Some of these benefits, among them:
- As a help to improve the effects of vitamin C and antioxidants are very good for the body.
- Can help treat allergies, viral infections, arthritis, and certain inflammatory conditions.
- Can repair cells damaged by free radicals.
- Allegedly able to improve your mood caused by mood disorders, irritability, and some things that indicate the depression.
- Based on existing data, consuming flavonoids is thought to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, but this still requires further research.
- Studies on the benefits of the flavonoid are so far limited in animal studies. Data from the study indicate that this supplement may reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and stroke. But this data still needs to be supported by further research on humans.
Although it has benefits for the body, you should consume flavonoid supplements consulted with a doctor first if someone has certain medical conditions such as; allergic to the content of flavonoids supplement products, or you are taking certain medications because the effects of medicine interactions are unknown. Until now there is also no research that ensures the safe use of flavonoid supplements in infants, children, and pregnant or lactating mothers. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before taking flavonoid supplements.
In addition to providing benefits, apparently flavonoid compounds also have risks, such as:
- The content of flavonoid compounds apparently can interact with some types of medicines prescribed by doctors, this can be harmful to your health. For example the content of naringenin flavonoids that can be found in grapefruit, proven to interfere with medicine performance. It is not advisable to consume medicines that are accompanied by grapefruit juice without advice from a doctor.
- Do not just take supplements containing flavonoids alone, without eating vegetables and fruits that contain other nutrients that are good for your body, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Supplements containing flavonoids may have a higher dose of flavonoids than flavonoids contained in vegetables and fruits. It's good you get flavonoids by eating fruits and vegetables directly.
- Excessive consumption of flavonoid supplements is apparently not recommended. Flavonoids in high doses that enter your body are actually harmful, and the harm is more likely to occur than the benefits. Flavonoid compounds can also penetrate the placenta so this substance has the potential to affect the fetus. Be sure to follow the dosage and the rules used in taking flavonoid supplements.
If you are interested in taking flavonoid-containing supplements, make sure they are eligible for consumption and have been registered with the Food and Medicine Administration. If you are in doubt about the benefits and risks of flavonoid supplements for your health, do not hesitate to always consult your doctor for the best advice.
source: alodokter.com
source: alodokter.com
