6
Table 1.3 Important phytochemicals in functional foods and their health benefits
Phytochemicals Functional Food Sources
Health Benefits
Anthocyanins
Red, purple, & blue
veggies: Red cabbage,
straw/black/blueberries,
radishes, plums, &
eggplant; elderberry; black
rice; bananas
Reduction of cholesterol (Wallace et al. 2016);
Prevention of Cardiovascular diseases (Mink
et al. 2007; Qin et al. 2009; Cassidy et al. 2011;
Hassellund et al. 2012; Jennings et al. 2012;
McCullough et al. 2012; Hassellund et al.,
2013); Antiobesity or Weight loss (CAB
Reviews 2010; Bertoia et al. 2016; Azzini et al.
2017); Cancer prevention (Wang and Stoner
2008; Lin et al. 2017); Enhances cognitive
function (Whyte and Williams 2012; Wallace
and Giusti 2013)
Beta-carotene
Sweet potato; carrots;
spinach; butternut squash;
cantaloupe; lettuce; bell
pepper; apricot; broccoli;
pea; other yellow and
orange colored vegetables
and fruits
Precursor of Vit. A (Grune et al. 2010; Gul et al.
2015); Inhibits the peroxidation of lipids
induced by free radicals (Antioxidant) (Grune
et al. 2010; Gul et al. 2015); Prevention of
sunburns and photodamage (Krutmann 2008;
Stahl and Sies 2012), porphyria (Sassa 2006;
Mir 2018) and psoriasis (Rollman and Vahlquist
1985)
Catechins
Green tea, apples (peel on),
apricots, cherries, peaches,
blackberries, black grapes,
strawberries, blueberries
and raspberries
Antioxidant (Cabrera et al. 2006); Lowers blood
pressure and low density lipoprotein (Kim et al.
2011; Khalesi et al. 2014)
Flavonoids
Citrus fruits, berries, purple
grapes, onions, black and
green tea, cocoa, legumes,
soy, & whole grains
Antioxidant (Brunetti et al. 2013; Banjarnahor
and Artnti 2015), Decreases inflammation, may
protect against heart disease, stroke & cancer
(Serafini et al. 2010; Perez-Cano and Castell
2016)
Lutein
Green leafy vegetables:
kale, collards, spinach,
romaine & broccoli; yellow
corn
Protection from eye disease by absorbing
damaging blue light that enters the eye (Johnson
2002); May reduce risk of age-related macular
degeneration (Ugusman et al. 2014)
Lycopene
Tomatoes, watermelon &
pink grapefruit, pink guava,
papaya, seabuckthorn and
rosehip
Decreases risk for prostate cancer (Ilic et al.
2011; Ilic and Misso 2012; Wang et al. 2015;
Chen et al. 2015; Rowles et al. 2017) and
Cardiovascular diseases (Cheng et al. 2017);
Cholesterol lowering action (Ried and Fakler
2011); Protection against Metabolic Syndrome
(Senkus et al. 2018); Strong antioxidant effect
(Chen et al. 2013)
Quercetin
Yellow fruits & veggies:
Apples/pears, citrus fruits,
onions, some berries,
black/green tea
Blood pressure reduction (Serban et al. 2016);
Antioxidants, decreases inflammation, & may
help protect from heart disease, stroke & cancer
(Shah et al. 2016)
(continued)
G. Dable-Tupas et al.
Table 1.3 Important phytochemicals in functional foods and their health benefits
Phytochemicals Functional Food Sources
Health Benefits
Anthocyanins
Red, purple, & blue
veggies: Red cabbage,
straw/black/blueberries,
radishes, plums, &
eggplant; elderberry; black
rice; bananas
Reduction of cholesterol (Wallace et al. 2016);
Prevention of Cardiovascular diseases (Mink
et al. 2007; Qin et al. 2009; Cassidy et al. 2011;
Hassellund et al. 2012; Jennings et al. 2012;
McCullough et al. 2012; Hassellund et al.,
2013); Antiobesity or Weight loss (CAB
Reviews 2010; Bertoia et al. 2016; Azzini et al.
2017); Cancer prevention (Wang and Stoner
2008; Lin et al. 2017); Enhances cognitive
function (Whyte and Williams 2012; Wallace
and Giusti 2013)
Beta-carotene
Sweet potato; carrots;
spinach; butternut squash;
cantaloupe; lettuce; bell
pepper; apricot; broccoli;
pea; other yellow and
orange colored vegetables
and fruits
Precursor of Vit. A (Grune et al. 2010; Gul et al.
2015); Inhibits the peroxidation of lipids
induced by free radicals (Antioxidant) (Grune
et al. 2010; Gul et al. 2015); Prevention of
sunburns and photodamage (Krutmann 2008;
Stahl and Sies 2012), porphyria (Sassa 2006;
Mir 2018) and psoriasis (Rollman and Vahlquist
1985)
Catechins
Green tea, apples (peel on),
apricots, cherries, peaches,
blackberries, black grapes,
strawberries, blueberries
and raspberries
Antioxidant (Cabrera et al. 2006); Lowers blood
pressure and low density lipoprotein (Kim et al.
2011; Khalesi et al. 2014)
Flavonoids
Citrus fruits, berries, purple
grapes, onions, black and
green tea, cocoa, legumes,
soy, & whole grains
Antioxidant (Brunetti et al. 2013; Banjarnahor
and Artnti 2015), Decreases inflammation, may
protect against heart disease, stroke & cancer
(Serafini et al. 2010; Perez-Cano and Castell
2016)
Lutein
Green leafy vegetables:
kale, collards, spinach,
romaine & broccoli; yellow
corn
Protection from eye disease by absorbing
damaging blue light that enters the eye (Johnson
2002); May reduce risk of age-related macular
degeneration (Ugusman et al. 2014)
Lycopene
Tomatoes, watermelon &
pink grapefruit, pink guava,
papaya, seabuckthorn and
rosehip
Decreases risk for prostate cancer (Ilic et al.
2011; Ilic and Misso 2012; Wang et al. 2015;
Chen et al. 2015; Rowles et al. 2017) and
Cardiovascular diseases (Cheng et al. 2017);
Cholesterol lowering action (Ried and Fakler
2011); Protection against Metabolic Syndrome
(Senkus et al. 2018); Strong antioxidant effect
(Chen et al. 2013)
Quercetin
Yellow fruits & veggies:
Apples/pears, citrus fruits,
onions, some berries,
black/green tea
Blood pressure reduction (Serban et al. 2016);
Antioxidants, decreases inflammation, & may
help protect from heart disease, stroke & cancer
(Shah et al. 2016)
(continued)
G. Dable-Tupas et al.