Introduction to phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are non-nutrient compounds found in plant-derived foods which have biological activity in the body.
Phyto means ‘plant’.
Phytochemicals are responsible for many well-known characteristics of food, such as taste, aroma and colour. For example, phytochemicals are responsible for the:
- Burning sensation of hot peppers
- Pungent flavour of garlic
- Dark red colour of tomatoes, capsicum, watermelon and berries
Foods containing phytochemicals
Did you know that foods contain an enormous range of phytochemicals – and there is still much more to discover!
Plant foods contain thousands of naturally occurring phytochemicals and it seems likely that each plant food contains an array of different phytochemicals. For example, broccoli may contain up to 10,000 phytochemicals.
For some years now, researchers have been working on the wide variety of phytochemicals in food and the possible role they may play in supporting health and well-being. Researchers have only scratched the surface and it is clear that there is much more to learn.
The table below displays a range of foods that contain various types of phytochemicals.
| Colour | Phytochemicals | Foods |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Anthocyanins, lycopene | Beets, cherries, cranberries, radishes, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon |
| White-brown | Allicin, allyl sulfides | Bananas, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, parsnips |
| Orange-yellow | Beta-carotene, limonene | Apricots, carrots, lemons, mangoes, oranges, papayas, pineapple, pumpkin |
| Blue-purple | Anthocyanins, ellagic acid, phenolics | Blackcurrants, blueberries, eggplant, plums, purple figs, raisins, purple grapes |
| Green | Beta-carotene, lutein, indoles | Artichokes, avocados, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, limes, okra, peas, spinach |
Are phytochemicals a topic you have encountered before? You might recognise some of the names of the phytochemicals, for example – beta-carotene! Reflect on why understanding what phytochemicals are in different foods is important to health.
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