Phytonutrients/Phytochemicals

The following is a list of phytochemicals present in commonly consumed foods.

Phenolic compounds

Natural monophenols

• Apiole – parsley, celery leaf.
• Carnosol – rosemary, sage
• Carvacrol – oregano, thyme, pepperwort, wild bergamot.
• Dillapiole – dill, fennel root.
• Rosemarinol – rosemary.

Polyphenols

Flavonoids

red, blue, purple pigments

• Flavonols
  • Quercetin – red and yellow onions, tea, wine, apples, cranberries, buckwheat, beans.
  • Gingerol – ginger.
  • Kaempferol – tea, strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, grapefruit, apples, peas, brassicates (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage), chives, spinach, endive, leek, tomatoes.
  • Myricetin – grapes, red wine, berries, walnuts.
  • Rutin – citrus fruits, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, berries, peaches, apples, pagoda tree fruits, asparagus, buckwheat, parsley, tomatoes, apricots, rhubarb, tea.
  • Isorhamnetin – red turnip, goldenrod, mustard leaf, ginkgo biloba.
• Flavanones
  • Hesperidin – citrus fruits.
  • Naringenin – citrus fruits.
  • Silybin – blessed milk thistle.
  • Eriodictyol
• Flavones
  • Acacetin – Robinia pseudoacacia, Turnera diffusa.
  • Apigenin – chamomile, celery, parsley.
  • Chrysin – Passiflora caerulea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Oroxylum indicum.
  • Diosmetin – Vicia.
  • Tangeritin – tangerine and other citrus peels.
  • Luteolin – beets, artichokes, celery, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga, parsley, mint, chamomile, lemongrass, chrysanthemum
• Flavan-3-ols (flavanols)
  • Catechins – white tea, green tea, black tea, grapes, wine, apple juice, cocoa, lentils, black-eyed peas.
    • (+)-Catechin
    • (+)-Gallocatechin
    • (-)-Epicatechin
    • (-)-Epigallocatechin
    • (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – green tea;
    • (-)-Epicatechin 3-gallate
  • Theaflavin – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3-gallate – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3′-gallate – black tea;
    • Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate – black tea;
  • Thearubigins.
  • Proanthocyanidins.
• Flavanonols
• Anthocyanidins (flavonals) or Anthocyanins – red wine, many red, purple or blue fruits and vegetables.
  • Pelargonidin – bilberry, raspberry, strawberry.
  • Peonidin – bilberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach.
  • Cyanidin – red apple & pear, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach, plum, hawthorn, loganberry, cocoa.
  • Delphinidin – bilberry, blueberry, eggplant.
  • Malvidin – bilberry, blueberry.
  • Petunidin

Isoflavonoid

• Isoflavones (phytoestrogens) use the 3-phenylchromen-4-one skeleton (with no hydroxyl group substitution on carbon at position 2).
  • Daidzein (formononetin) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, kudzu, other legumes.
  • Genistein (biochanin A) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, other legumes.
  • Glycitein – soy.
• Isoflavanes.
• Isoflavandiols.
• Isoflavenes.
• Pterocarpans or Coumestans (phytoestrogens)
• Coumestrol – red clover, alfalfa sprouts, soy, peas, brussels sprouts.

Flavonolignan

• Silymarin – artichokes, milk thistle.

Lignans

A phytoestrogens – seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy), whole grains (rye, oats, barley), bran (wheat, oat, rye), fruits (particularly berries) and vegetables.

• Matairesinol – flax seed, sesame seed, rye bran and meal, oat bran, poppy seed, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli.
• Secoisolariciresinol – flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, zucchini, blackcurrant, carrots.
• Pinoresinol and lariciresinol – sesame seed, Brassica vegetables

Stilbenoids

• Resveratrol – grape skins and seeds, wine, nuts, peanuts, Japanese Knotweed root
• Pterostilbene – grapes, blueberries
• Piceatannol – grapes
• Pinosylvin

Curcuminoids

• Curcumin – turmeric, mustard. (Oxidizes to vanillin.)

Hydrolyzable tannin

• Ellagitannins
• Punicalagins – tea, berries
• Castalagins
• Vescalagins

Aromatic acid

Phenolic acids

• Salicylic acid – peppermint, licorice, peanut, wheat.
• Vanillin – vanilla beans, cloves.
• Gallic acid – tea, mango, strawberries, rhubarb, soy.
• Ellagic acid – walnuts, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, guava, grapes.
• Tannic acid – nettles, tea, berries.

Hydroxycinnamic acids

• Caffeic acid – burdock, hawthorn, artichoke, pear, basil, thyme, oregano, apple, olive oil.
• Chlorogenic acid – echinacea, strawberries, pineapple, coffee, sunflower, blueberries.
• Cinnamic acid – cinnamon, aloe.
• Ferulic acid – oats, rice, artichoke, orange, pineapple, apple, peanut.
• Coumarin – citrus fruits, maize.

Capsaicin

chilli peppers.

Tyrosol esters

• Tyrosol – olive oil
• Hydroxytyrosol – olive oil
• Oleocanthal – olive oil
• Oleuropein – olive oil

Alkylresorcinols

wholegrain wheat, rye and barley

Terpenes (isoprenoids)

Carotenoids (tetraterpenoids)

Carotenes

orange pigments

• α-Carotene – to vitamin A, in carrots, pumpkins, maize, tangerine, orange.
• β-Carotene – to vitamin A, in dark, leafy greens and red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.
• γ-Carotene – to vitamin A,
• δ-Carotene
• Lycopene – Vietnam Gac, tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, guava, apricots, carrots, autumn olive.
• Neurosporene
• Phytofluene – star fruit, sweet potato, orange.
• Phytoene – sweet potato, orange.

Xanthophylls

yellow pigments.

• Canthaxanthin – paprika.
• Cryptoxanthin to vitamin A, in – mango, tangerine, orange, papaya, peaches, avocado, pea, grapefruit, kiwi.
• Zeaxanthin – wolfberry, spinach, kale, turnip greens, maize, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, oranges.
• Astaxanthin – microalge, yeast, krill, shrimp, salmon, lobsters, and some crabs
• Lutein – spinach, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, mango, papaya, oranges, kiwi, peaches, squash, brassicates, prunes, sweet potatoes, honeydew melon, rhubarb, plum, avocado, pear, cilantro.
• Rubixanthin – rose hips.

Monoterpenes

• Limonene – oils of citrus, cherries, spearmint, dill, garlic, celery, maize, rosemary, ginger, basil.
• Perillyl alcohol – citrus oils, caraway, mints.

Saponins

soybeans, beans, other legumes, maize, alfalfa.

Lipids

• Phytosterols – almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, whole wheat, maize, soybeans, many vegetable oils.
  • Campesterol – buckwheat.
  • beta Sitosterol – avocados, rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, fennel, peanuts, soybeans, hawthorn, basil, buckwheat.
  • gamma sitosterol
  • Stigmasterol – buckwheat.
• Tocopherols (vitamin E)
• omega-3, 6,9 fatty acids – dark-green leafy vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts.
  • gamma-linolenic acid – evening primrose, borage, blackcurrant.

Triterpenoid

• Oleanolic acid – American pokeweed, honey mesquite, garlic, java apple, cloves, and many other Syzygiumspecies.
• Ursolic acid – apples, basil, bilberries, cranberries, elder flower, peppermint, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, prunes.
• Betulinic acid – Ber tree, white birch, tropical carnivorous plants Triphyophyllum peltatum and Ancistrocladus heyneanus, Diospyros leucomelas a member of the persimmon family, Tetracera boiviniana, the jambul (Syzygium formosanum), chaga, and many other Syzygium species.
• Moronic acid – Rhus javanica (a sumac), mistletoe

Betalains

• Betacyanins
  • betanin – beets, chard
  • isobetanin – beets, chard
  • probetanin – beets, chard
  • neobetanin – beets, chard
• Betaxanthins (non glycosidic versions)
  • Indicaxanthin – beets, sicilian prickly pear
  • Vulgaxanthin – beets

Organosulfides

• Dithiolthiones (isothiocyanates)
  • Sulphoraphane – Brassicates.
• Polysulfides (allium compounds)
  • Allyl methyl trisulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.
• Sulfides
  • Diallyl disulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.

Indoles, glucosinolates/ sulfur compounds

• Indole-3-carbinol – cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, mustard greens, broccoli.
• Sulforaphane – broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbages
• 3,3′-Diindolylmethane or DIM – broccoli family, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale
• Sinigrin – broccoli family, brussels sprouts, black mustard
• Allicin – garlic
• Alliin – garlic
• Allyl isothiocyanate – horseradish, mustard, wasabi
• Piperine – black pepper
• Syn-propanethial-S-oxide – cut onions.

Protein inhibitors

• Protease inhibitors – soy, seeds, legumes, potatoes, eggs, cereals.

Other organic acids

• Oxalic acid – orange, spinach, rhubarb, tea and coffee, banana, ginger, almond, sweet potato, bell pepper.
• Phytic acid – (inositol hexaphosphate) – cereals, nuts, sesame seeds, soybeans, wheat, pumpkin, beans, almonds.
• Tartaric acid – apricots, apples, sunflower, avocado, grapes, tamarind.
• Anacardic acid – cashews, mangoes.
• Malic acid – apples