Last time we discussed the health benefits of blackberries and their polyphenols (or plant-colouring-pigments). These polyphenols are often seen as new kids on the block in nutrition science and offer anti-oxidant (or anti-rusting) properties.

As festive seasons loom, let’s explore the benefits of cinnamon, red wine/red grapes (in moderation and where appropriate), blueberries, low-sugar dark chocolate and turmeric. We borrow this antioxidant technology every time we eat any of these colourful plants in their real food state. They each contain a mix of nutrients which have been shown to contribute to good health; however, as this paper discusses, not if eaten singly in huge quantities by themselves …

“What to eat then? We all want food to [help] us, but focusing on single foods and eating mounds of them is not the answer. Instead, a balanced and diverse diet can provide foods each with a range of different nutrients and bioactive compounds. Don’t get distracted by quick fixes; focus instead on enjoying a variety of foods.”
– Food and Behaviour Research

So the thing about these nutrients is that if a little has been shown to be good for us, it does not follow that more may be even better for us. Nutrition science is rarely linear, as nutrients were never designed to work alone. This means that nutrients are like team players, and often require co-factors to exert any beneficial effects. Thus, because of bioavailability, absorption or co-factor issues, it’s often more a matter of taking them ‘little and often’ (not bucketfuls) and making sure that co-factors are there too. Therefore, remember the context of small glassfuls of red wine with a fish-rich Mediterranean Diet in a warm and sunny location much nearer the Mediterranean Sea than we are in the UK! (This is why testing vitamin D levels is often recommended here.)

These precious polyphenols can normally be found in fresh (or frozen) whole/unprocessed fruit & vegetables, nuts & seeds, herbs & spices. For optimal health, resolve to just eating real foods in a balanced diet and consider lab testing to investigate nutrient status. Even try growing your own where possible!