Got Phytonutrients?

?Eat your fruits and vegetables!? The clarion call of nearly every mother in my era. So, it turns out Mom was right once again. But today she would likely say: 'did you get your dose of phytonutrients today?? If my mother had spoken those words I would have begged to have more broccoli on my plate.

But, seriously, just what ARE phytonutrients and where do we get them anyways? Why do we need more of them, and how can we busy Americans get them into our diet. (Somehow I don't think there are many phytonutrients in the blueberry bagel with six ounces of cream cheese I had for breakfast!)

In it's simplest meaning the word phytonutrient can be dissected to mean plant derived nutrient. (Phyto originates from a Greek word meaning plant)

According to the USDA website (www.usda.gov) phytonutrients may:

• Serve as antioxidants
• Enhance immune response
• Enhance cell to cell communication
• Alter estrogen metabolism
• Cause cancer cells to die (apoptosis)
• Repair DNA damage caused by smoking and other toxic exposure
• Detoxify carcinogens through the activation of the cytocrome P450 and Phase II enzyme systems

Phytonutrients research is experiencing remarkable growth. For now, it appears that an effective strategy for reducing the rise of cancer and heart disease is to increase the consumption of phytonutrient-rich foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and teas.

Well, Mom was ALMOST right. Eat your fruits and vegetables with your tea and bagel. (Cream cheese is a pretty good protein I understand) Live long and prosper!