periodic table of superfood nutrition
Source: We put this together after plenty of research from nutrition and food books. Not meant to be necessarily scientifically accurate, but to educate on the multitude of nutrients in Nature’s superfoods.
Phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals, are protective chemicals produced by plants. Plants use phytonutrients to stay healthy. For example, some phytonutrients protect plants from insect attacks, while others protect against radiation from the sun’s radiation..
Phytonutrients can also provide significant benefits for humans who eat plant foods. Phytonutrient-rich foods include colorful fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, tea, whole grains and many spices. Phytonutrients may enhance immunity, repair DNA damage to cells, detoxify carcinogens, nourish your gut and fuel your brain.
The Kinds of phytonutrients
Many antioxidants can be manufactured in our cells, but some can only be obtained by eating or drinking them - so-called essential antioxidants.
Antioxidant Vitamins - Vitamins A, C, E and Selenium.
Antioxidants your Body Makes (aka endogenous antioxidants) Coenzyme Q, Glutathione, Alpha lipoid acid, superoxide dimutase (SOD) - these highly potent antioxidants need certain minerals or antioxidant cofactors to synthesis them.
Antioxidant Minerals (Cofactors) - Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Copper - these ‘trace’ minerals are significant ingredients in your body’s antioxidant factory.
Phenolics - Polyphenols are found in fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, coffee, tea, red wine and dark chocolate (hooray!) and especially concentrated in spices. The evidence for the heart benefits for foods rich in polyphenols comes from hundreds of studies. One example was a large study in Europe reporting that a higher intake of polyphenols, particularly stilbenes from grapes and nuts and lignans from flax, was associated with a longer life span. In a study of over 34,000 post-menopausal women, intake of polyphenol-rich foods was associated with a lower risk of heart disease and all-cause deaths. For optimal health, you need a consistent consumption of very high levels of polyphenols every day.
Cartenoids - These highly protective plant pigments are responsible for bright red, yellow and orange hues in many fruits and vegetables. Animals cannot manufacture carotenoids themselves; they have to get it in their diets. Carotenoids need to be consumed with a fat in order for the body to absorb them. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids. Lycopene is one highly protective carotenoid. According to a 12-year study published in Neurology, middle-age men with the highest levels of lycopene in their blood had a 55 percent reduced rate of any kind of stroke. A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that participants with higher levels of lycopene in their blood were less likely to experience hip or nonvertebral fracture.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. Your body needs fat - good fat, that is. From brain function to your gut microorganisms, your body needs these essential fats. While technically not an antioxidant, recent research has pointed to the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3’s and their synergistic benefit with phytonutrients in protecting against cancer and cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s.