What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a class of powerful antioxidants that are thought to be responsible for the French Paradox: the French have a diet relatively high in fat, yet have a decreased incidence of heart disease; this is attributed to the amount of polyphenols present in the grapes used to make French wines. MonaVie™ Active products contain a powerful variety of polyphenols, including anthocyanins.
Polyphenols (flavonoids) are powerful antioxidants that are 100 times more potent than Vitamin C and 25 times more than Vitamin E. Polyphenols are important for fighting harmful free radicals, which cause degenerative diseases and immune system deficiency. Studies show that consuming foods high in polyphenols can promote good health, maintain normal weight and stimulates the immune system. Green tea contains higher antioxidants—flavonoid polyphenols than black and oolong teas. The polyphenols that exist in green tea are mainly (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (+)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG), and (-)-catechin. EGCG is the most powerful and the most abundant of the six major catechins found in green tea.
Polyphenols are a class of antioxidants found in a variety of foods – red wine, green tea, chocolate, olive oil and more. Antioxidants are now widely touted for their ability to combat aging and many health conditions. Recent studies indicate that the polyphenols in olive oil are very potent- and the research is just beginning. It’s a very exciting field right now – science is increasing our understanding of these polyphenols and their effect on health, and milling technology is breaking new ground for higher extraction.
