The Biggest Benefits of Quercetin, According to Dietitians & Experts
DISCLAIMER: Disclaimer Note: I am not a doctor nor a medical practitioner, nor a nutritionist. So, I am not giving any medical advice. Last time I played doctor I misdiagnosed one of my daughters’ arms that was broken, for a week. The real doctor wasn’t very complimentary to me. And you should always check with your doctor prior to starting any regimen.
As reported in ‘Mens Health’, “Quercetin is a type of Flavonoid, or plant pigment, found in antioxidant-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as beverages like wine and tea,” says Anna Smith, R.D.N., L.D.N., a registered dietician for nutrition-tracking app Lose It.’ (1)
Quercetin, which is a Flavonol (a sub-category of Flavonoids), is an anti-oxidant, its anti-inflammatory effects help reduce inflammation, it helps to kill cancer cells, control blood sugar, and helps prevent heart disease. It is most abundant naturally in parsley, olive oil, squash, spinach, bananas, apples, blueberries, peaches, pears, green tea, grape seeds, and red pepper, among other food sources.
There is no Recommended Daily Average intake for Quercetin. It’s recommended not to take high doses if using a supplement. If eating enough natural foods, Quercetin probably doesn’t need to be supplemented.
Eating a variety of produce provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and Flavonoids such as Quercetin. Quercetin has also been linked to lowering cholesterol levels, promoting prostate health, and boosting cognitive function.
Flavonoids hunt for damaging, inflammation and disease promoting ‘free-radical’ atoms, then bond with the atoms to make them stable. In a stable atom all electrons are paired. But a Free-Radical atom or molecule has one or more electrons unmatched and seek out other atoms and molecules to pair with. It’s important to note that not all free radicals are harmful, and they play crucial roles in many biological processes, including the immune response and cell signaling. Free-Radicals are formed through our natural biological processes and are are also formed by chemicals, radiation exposure and things like eating too much sugar. When their levels get too high, they can cause damage to cells and tissues.
Imagine a round pinball machine with a bunch of free radicals bouncing off the walls, other molecules, and each other with each collision possibly damaging our DNA or adding oxidative stress..
The research study ‘Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health’ published in 2010 states ‘A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. If free radicals overwhelm the body’s ability to regulate them, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues. Free radicals thus adversely alter lipids, proteins, and DNA and trigger a number of human diseases. Hence application of external source of antioxidants can assist in coping this oxidative stress. Synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene and butylated hydroxyanisole have recently been reported to be dangerous for human health. Thus, the search for effective, nontoxic natural compounds with antioxidative activity has been intensified in recent years’.
This is why so much attention is being focused on phytochemicals, and specifically Flavonoids, such as Quercetin, due to their strong antioxidants.
Here are a list of research papers and articles on the efficacy of Quercetin:
Alzheimer’s Disease -Neuroprotective Effects of Quercetin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023116/
Cinnamon: A Multifaceted Medicinal Plant: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003790/
Flavonoids as Antiviral Agents for Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71): https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/2/184
Structural Insight into the interaction of Flavonoids with Human Telomeric Sequence: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep17574
Top 5 natural antihistamines for allergies: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323276
Quercetin and Coumarin Inhibit Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV and Exhibits Antioxidant Properties: In Silico, In Vitro, Ex Vivo: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7072504/
Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Effects of Flavonoids: A Structure-Activity Relationship Based Study: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2017/8386065/
Quinoa flavonoids and their bioaccessibility during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733521020304203
1-Benefits of Quescetin: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/biggest-benefits-quercetin-according-dieticians-161500974.html
2-Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
Access the following:
Flavonoid overview by Oregon State University: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/flavonoids
USDA Flavonoid Database:
USDA Food Data Central: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
USDA Nutrition.gov: https://www.nutrition.gov/