subject: Avoid Unnecessary Inflammation And More With These Phenolic Acids [print this page] The phenolic acids are a group of health boosting, plant based nutrients that can be found in fruits, nuts, vegetables and teas. They are not classed as essential nutrients but studies have shown that they do have a number of health benefits in humans. In this article I will be looking at 2 of the phenolic acids in greater detail and breaking down their main health benefits.
1) CAPSAICIN:
Capsaicin is exclusively found in chilli peppers with the hottest chilli peppers containing the most capsaicin. Some of the hottest and most capsaicin rich chilli peppers include the bhut jolokia chilli, the infinity chilli pepper, the naga viper pepper, the red savina habanero pepper and the Trinidad scorpion butch T pepper. If you do not like extremely hot peppers, the coranado pepper, the pimento pepper and the poblano pepper are less spicy but still provide you with some capsaicin.
This phenolic acid has a long list of health benefits. For starters, it is a powerful antibacterial (a substance that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria) and anti-inflammatory (a substance that prevents unnecessary inflammation in the body). In addition to this, it can boost your metabolism, soothe indigestion, protect against stomach ulcers and fight numerous types of cancer (a health disorder where your body's cells start to grow in a rapid, out of control way). This phenolic acid can also protect you from heart disease by reducing blood levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that blocks the arteries and increases your heart disease risk). Finally, it can soothe various types of pain such as arthritis (inflammation of the joints), headaches, migraines and shingles (a skin rash that leads to painful, burning sensations.
2) ELLAGIC ACID:
Ellagic acid can be sourced from a selection of nuts and berries. Red raspberries are by far the richest source and contain a significant 1.5 milligrams (mg) of ellagic acid per gram (g). Strawberries (0.63mg per g), walnuts (0.59mg per g), and pecans (0.33mg per g) are also good ellagic acid foods.
Research has revealed that this phenolic acid is a potent antioxidant that can keep your body safe from nasty free radicals. Free radicals are harmful by-products that enter your body's cells during oxygen related reactions and can lead to cancer, diabetes (a health disorder which causes your blood glucose to reach extremely high levels), increased visible signs of ageing and a weak immune system.
Provisional studies suggest that ellagic acid may also boost the immune system, lower high blood pressure, fight cancer, fight heart disease and protect against liver problems. However, further studies are required before these provisional health benefits can be confirmed.
