The Role Of Bioflavonoids In A Healthy Diet
We all know that fruits and vegetables are powerful health-promoting products. But we might need help understanding why and how they are so incredibly beneficial to our bodies. Fruits and vegetables have vitamin C, which protects and keeps our cells healthy. Most people might not be aware, but these items are also loaded with bioflavonoids.
Bioflavonoids, also known as flavonoids, are a class of polyphenolic compounds found in plants. Although their classification is barely universally agreed upon, they are categorized based on oxidation degree: flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols. The main dietary sources of human bioflavonoids are fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Chocolate, tea, and red wine also have high flavonoid content.
Including foods rich in bioflavonoids in your diet can go a long way in preserving your health regarding its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, not all agree with this point.
But, this post will cover bioflavonoids’ fully supported research roles in a healthy diet. From promoting immune health to boosting cardiovascular health, we will help you understand why incorporating bioflavonoids in your diet is a great health choice.
1. Reducing Bruises Severity
Bruises, also called contusions, happen when your blood vessels tear due to force, and the leaking blood gets trapped under your skin. Their main symptoms are skin pain, swelling, and discoloration. They are more rampant in women than men because women have light skin and less collagen count. As a result, their blood vessels are weakly held under the skin.
When your body bruises easily, it is recommended that you include bioflavonoids in your diet along with vitamin C. Bioflavonoids, especially citrus bioflavonoids, are known to promote the strength and stability of your blood vessels, including the delicate capillaries, thus minimizing the chances of your skin bruising.
They also boost the effectiveness of vitamin C in the process, and their anti-inflammatory value helps reduce the pain and swelling inherent in bruises, ensuring a smooth and quick healing process.
2. Boosting Immune System
Consuming foods rich in bioflavonoids can help boost your immune system through various intertwined actions. For instance, bioflavonoids modulate the immune function by promoting the production and function of natural killer cells, macrophages, and T-lymphocytes.
The antioxidant properties of bioflavonoids neutralize the free radicals in the body that can cause damage to the immune cells. Immune cells, like the white blood cells, are the main components of the immune system.
They play a vital role in attacking and eliminating any foreign invaders, including viruses, keeping your body healthy. Thus, bioflavonoids guarantee your immune system’s safety and strength by offsetting the free radicals.
3. Promoting Cardiovascular Health
Research has shown that increased intake of bioflavonoids is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular issues like heart attack and strokes. The antioxidant aspect of bioflavonoids helps neutralize the free radicals in the body that cause oxidative stress.
Increased oxidative stress content in your body highly exposes you to cardiovascular diseases. By neutralizing the free radicals, bioflavonoids help reduce oxidative stress, thereby safeguarding your cardiovascular system.
Also, some bioflavonoids like catechin and its derivatives have been acknowledged for their anti-hypertensive effects. Anti-hypertensive effects promote cardiovascular health by enhancing blood pressure regulation.
Failure of your body to regulate the blood pressure can cause hypertension. In this situation, pressure in one’s blood vessels is too high, making the arteries that supply oxygen and blood to the brain burst, causing a stroke.
4. Contributing to Collagen Production
Bioflavonoids in a healthy diet play a vital role in encouraging collagen production. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It is mostly found in our blood, muscles, and bones, constituting up to 30% of the whole-body protein content.
It offers structure and strength to our skin, bones, and connective tissues, thus making it the glue that holds our body together.
As we age, our bodies’ natural potential to produce collagen reduces. This, in turn, exposes us to health concerns like skin sagging, increased wrinkles, and weak connective tissues.
However, consuming bioflavonoids, particularly rutin and quercitrin, can come to aid as they help stimulate collagen production in our bodies, ensuring we have healthier and younger-looking skin and stronger joints.
5. Assisting in Vein Health
Another role of bioflavonoids in a healthy diet is promoting vein health through combating varicose veins. Varicose vein is a condition where your veins stretch, and the valves they once depended on to prevent the blood from flowing backward no longer function properly.
Like bruises, varicose veins occur more commonly in women than men. You can fight this condition by consuming a healthy diet that constitutes rutin, a type of bioflavonoid. Rutin offers support to your vein’s walls and makes them function better.
It also helps reduce the pain, aching, and swelling caused by varicose veins, and one can find it in fruits, especially the citrus kind, and whole grains like buckwheat.
Conclusion
Incorporating bioflavonoids into your diet can associate you with various health benefits. These include a boosted immune system, improved cardiovascular and skin health, enhanced vein health, and reduced bruise severity.
It can also help with cancer prevention, collagen production, and brain and eye health. Enjoying all these health benefits of bioflavonoids at an early stage can go a long way in saving you resources that you would have dedicated to treatments and medications. Thus, it is key to remember to watch what you eat as it greatly determines your health condition.
