Chapter 14 Flashcards
(16 cards)
Phytochemicals: What are they?
Exist in plants
•Provide color and flavor
•Believed to help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease
•So far, scientists know of 3,000 different phytochemicals with possible health benefits
•Not all phytochemicals are healthful
•Naturally occurring toxins
•More than 100 in one serving of vegetables
Functions of Phytochemicals: There are 5
•Serve as antioxidants that prevent and repair damage to cells due to oxidation
•Act as hormone-inhibiting substances that prevent the initiation of cancer
•Block or neutralize enzymes that promote the development of cancer and other diseases
•Modify the absorption, production, or utilization of cholesterol
•Decrease formation of blood clots
Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Beta-carotene: What are they? What do they do? What are they found in?
•Phytochemical pigments (carotenoids) in plants that act as antioxidants
•Lutein – found in green leafy vegetables
•Zeaxanthin – found in dark green vegetables
•Beta-carotene – found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables
•Prevent and treat diseases
•Lutein and zeaxanthin play key roles in prevention and treatment of age- related macular degeneration (ARMD)
•Beta-carotene reduces risk of heart disease and cancer
Age-Related Macular Degeneration: What is it? What prevents it?
•Eye damage caused by oxidation of the macula (central portion of eye responsible for detail)
•Leading cause of blindness in adults over 50
•Prevented by carotenoids (antioxidants)
Flavanols: What is it? What is it found in? What does it improve?
•Act as antioxidants
•Found in cocoa, a component of chocolate, and in berries, wine, and tea
•Dark chocolate is a better source
•Daily intake improves blood flow, reduces blood pressure, and risk of heart disease and stroke
Cruciferous Vegetables: What are they? What do they reduce the risk of?
•Phytochemicals in the cruciferous family of vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower)
•Appear to reduce risk of certain types of cancer, particularly in people with specific gene types
Indoles and Isothiocynates: What is it? Where is it found?
•Sulfur-containing compounds that may be protective against breast cancer
•Found in cruciferous vegetables
Allicin: What does it interfere with?What does it decrease? What does it Reduce? What is it found in?
•Interferes with the replication of cancer cells
•Decreases the production of cholesterol by the liver
•Reduces blood clotting
•Found in garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives, scallions
Terpenes: What does it facilitate? What does it decrease? What is it found in?
•Facilitate the excretion of cancer-causing substances
•Decrease tumor growth
•Found in oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and their juices
Phytoestrogens: What does it interfere with? What does it block? What does it lower? What is it found in?
•Interfere with cancer growth-promoting effects of estrogens
•Block the action of cancer-causing substances
•Lower blood cholesterol
•Found in soybeans, chickpeas, peas, peanuts
Lignans: What does it help prevent? What is it found in?
•May help prevent breast cancer
•Found in flaxseed, flaxseed oil, seaweed, soybeans, bran
Saponins: What is it neutralize? What is it found in?
•Neutralize certain potentially cancer-causing enzymes in the gut
•Found in dried beans, whole grains, apples, celery, strawberries, grapes, onions, green and black tea, red wine
Plant Stanols and Sterols: What is it similar to? What is it found in?
•Structurally similar to cholesterol and can block cholesterol absorption
•Found in edible oils
Naturally Occurring Toxins in Food: Oxalic acid? Cyanide? Solanine? Hypoglycin? Acrylamide?
•Oxalic acid
•In dark green, leafy vegetables
•Can make your teeth feel they are covered with sand and give you a stomachache
•Interferes with absorption of certain minerals
•Cyanide
•In cassava root
•Must soak in water
•Cyanide overdose disease – Konzo
•Permanent, spastic paralysis
Solanine
•Green spots on potatoes
•Bitter-tasting
•Insect-repelling
•Found in leaves and stalks of potato plants.
•Small amounts are harmless
•Large amounts may interfere with nerve impulse transmission
Hypoglycin
•Toxins contained in unripe Ackee fruit
•National fruit of Jamaica and has killed hundreds
•Yellow fleshy part around seeds is yellow and tastes like butter, looks like scrambled eggs
•Can cause severe vomiting, rapid drop in blood glucose levels
Acrylamide
•Toxin that develops from food processing or preparation
•Produced when starchy foods are fried, grilled, or broiled at high temperatures due to a reaction between starch and an amino acid
•High intake promotes oxidation and inflammation, causing nerve and tissue damage
•Reduce exposure by soaking potatoes before cooking; marinating meats in lemon juice, vinegar, or other acidic liquid; moist cooking, stewing, cooking at lower temperatures
Caffeine Functions: There are 5
Not easily classified by function
•Antioxidant
•Anti-inflammatory
•Chemical reaction inhibiting
•Gene-regulating effects
Caffeine Positive (3) and Negative (4) Health Effects
Postive
•Decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes
•Decreases the risk of death from heart disease and stroke
•Decreases the risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers, potentially by blocking the effects of estrogen and insulin on cancer development
Negative
•Excess may cause increased blood pressure, anxiety, nervousness, sleep problems, and sensation of strong heartbeats
•Tolerance does develop
•Withdrawal can lead to headache, fatigue, and irritability within 24 hours
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