Top Foods with Polyphenols Cloves and other seasonings Cocoa powder and dark chocolate Berries Non-berry fruits Beans Nuts Vegetables Soy Black and green tea Red wineBlack beans have 59 mg per 100 g, and white beans have 51 mg. apples, onions, dark chocolate, and red cabbage.. coffee.. capsaicinoids in chili peppers

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/polyphenols#what-they-are

 Foods with Polyphenols

• Cloves and other seasonings
• Cocoa powder and dark chocolate
• Berries
• Non-berry fruits
• Beans
• Nuts
• Vegetables
• Soy
• Black and green tea
• Red wine
• Risks and complications
• Takeaway

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What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are compounds that we get through certain plant-based foods. They’re packed with antioxidants and potential health benefits. It’s thought that polyphenols can improve or help treat digestion issues, weight management difficulties, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and cardiovascular diseases.

You can get polyphenols by eating foods containing them. You can also take supplements, which come in powder and capsule forms.

Polyphenols may have several unwanted side effects, however. These are most common when taking polyphenol supplements instead of getting them naturally through food. The most common side effect with the strongest scientific evidence is the potential for polyphenols to interfere with or limit iron absorptionTrusted Source.

Factors that influence activity of polyphenols in the body include metabolism, intestinal absorption, and the bioavailability of the polyphenol. Although some foods may have higher polyphenol levels than others, this does not necessarily mean that they are absorbed and used at higher rates.

Read on to learn the polyphenol content of many foods. Unless otherwise stated, all numbers are given in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) of food.

1. Cloves and other seasonings

In a 2010 studyTrusted Source that identified the 100 foods richest in polyphenols, cloves came out on top. Cloves had a total of 15,188 mg polyphenols per 100 g of cloves.

There were a number of other seasonings with high rankings, too. These included dried peppermint, which ranked second with 11,960 mg polyphenols, and star anise, which came in third with 5,460 mg.

Shop for cloves online.

2. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate

Cocoa powder was the fourth richest polyphenolTrusted Source food identified, with 3,448 mg polyphenols per 100 g of the powder. It’s not a surprise that dark chocolate fell close behind on the list and was ranked eighth with 1,664 mg. Milk chocolate is also on the list, but due to its lower cocoa content, falls much further down the list at number 32.

Find a selection of cocoa powder and dark chocolate online.

3. Berries

A number of different types of berries are rich in polyphenols. These include popular and easily accessible berries like:

• highbush blueberries, with 560 mg polyphenols
• blackberries, with 260 mg polyphenols
• strawberries, with 235 mg polyphenols
• red raspberries, with 215 mg polyphenols

The berry with the most polyphenols? Black chokeberry, which has more than 1,700 mg polyphenolsTrusted Source per 100 g.

4. Non-berry fruits

Berries aren’t the only fruits with plenty of polyphenols. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a large number of fruits contain high numbers of polyphenols. These include:

• black currants, with 758 mg polyphenols
• plums, with 377 mg polyphenols
• sweet cherries, with 274 mg polyphenols
• apples, with 136 mg polyphenols

Fruit juices like apple juice and pomegranate juice also contain high numbers of this micronutrient.

5. Beans

Beans contain a large number of nutritional benefits, so it’s no surprise that they naturally have hefty doses of polyphenols. Black beans and white beans in particular have the highest number of polyphenolsTrusted Source. Black beans have 59 mg per 100 g, and white beans have 51 mg.

Shop for beans here.

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6. Nuts

Nuts can be high in caloric value, but they pack a powerful nutritional punch. Not only are they full of protein; some nuts also have high polyphenol content.

One 2012 studyTrusted Source found significant levels of polyphenols in a number of both raw and roasted nuts. Nuts high in polyphenols include:

• hazelnuts, with 495 mg polyphenols
• walnuts, with 28 mg polyphenols
• almonds, with 187 mg polyphenols
• pecans, with 493 mg polyphenols

Purchase nuts online.

7. Vegetables

There are many vegetables that contain polyphenols, though they usually have less than fruit. Vegetables with high numbers of polyphenols include:

• artichokes, with 260 mg polyphenols
• chicory, with 166–235 mg polyphenols
• red onions, with 168 mg polyphenols
• spinach, with 119 mg polyphenols

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8. Soy

Soy, in all its various forms and stages, contains large numbersTrusted Source of this valuable micronutrient. These forms include:

• soy tempeh, with 148 mg polyphenols
• soy flour, with 466 mg polyphenols
• tofu, with 42 mg polyphenols
• soy yogurt, with 84 mg polyphenols
• soybean sprouts, with 15 mg polyphenols

Purchase soy flour here.

9. Black and green tea

Want to shake it up? In addition to high-fiber fruits, nuts, and vegetables, black and green teasTrusted Source both contain ample amounts of polyphenols. Black tea clocks in with 102 mg polyphenols per 100 milliliters (mL), and green tea has 89 mg.

Find black teas and green teas online.

10. Red wine

Many people drink a glass of red wine every night for the antioxidants. The high number of polyphenolsTrusted Source in red wine contributes to that antioxidant count. Red wine has a total of 101 mg polyphenols per 100 mL.

Rosé and white wine, while not as beneficial, still have a decent chunk of polyphenols, with 100 mL of each having about 10 mg polyphenols.

Potential risks and complications

There are some risks and complications associated with polyphenols. These seem to be most heavily associated with taking polyphenol supplements. More research is needed to evaluate the actual risk of these complications, which include:

• carcinogenic effects
• genotoxicity
• thyroid issues
• estrogenic activity in isoflavones
• interactions with other prescription medications

Takeaway

Polyphenols are powerful plant compounds that our body needs. They have numerous health benefits that may offer protection from the development of cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

It’s best to consume polyphenols through foods naturally containing them, instead of through artificially made supplements, which may come with more side effects. If you take supplements, make sure they are made from a reputable company with high quality sourcing.

Last medically reviewed on May 23, 2017

How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Mar 8, 2019

Written By

Ana Gotter

Edited By

John Bassham

May 23, 2017

Medically Reviewed By

Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C

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Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R.D., L.D., ACSM EP-C — Written by Ana Gotter — Updated on March 8, 2019

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NUTRITION

What Are Polyphenols? Types, Benefits, and Food Sources

• What they are
• Benefits
• Food sources
• Supplements
• Risks & side effects
• Bottom line

Polyphenols are a category of plant compounds. Regularly consuming polyphenols is thought to boost digestion and brain health and protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers.

Red wine, dark chocolate, tea, and berries are some of the best-known sources. Yet, many other foods also offer significant amounts of these compounds.

This article reviews everything you need to know about polyphenols, including possible food sources.

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What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are a category of compounds naturally found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, tea, dark chocolate, and wine.

They can act as antioxidants, meaning they can neutralize harmful free radicals that would otherwise damage your cells and increase your risk of conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (1Trusted Source).

Polyphenols are also thought to reduce inflammation, which is thought to be the root cause of many chronic illnesses (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Types of polyphenols

More than 8,000 types of polyphenols have been identified. They can be further categorized into 4 main groups (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source):

• Flavonoids. These account for around 60% of all polyphenols. Examples include quercetin, kaempferol, catechins, and anthocyanins, which are found in foods like apples, onions, dark chocolate, and red cabbage.
• Phenolic acids. This group accounts for around 30% of all polyphenols. Examples include ferulic and chlorogenic acids in coffee and cereal grains.
• Polyphenolic amides. This category includes capsaicinoids in chili peppers and avenanthramides in oats.
• Other polyphenols. This group includes stilbenes in grapes and berries, resveratrol in red wine, ellagic acid in berries, curcumin in turmeric, and lignans in flax seeds, sesame seeds, and whole grains.

The amount and type of polyphenols in foods depend on the food, including its origin, ripeness, and how it was farmed, transported, stored, and prepared.

Polyphenol-containing supplements are available as well. However, they’re likely to be less beneficial than polyphenol-rich foods (6Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Polyphenols are beneficial plant compounds with antioxidant properties that may help keep you healthy and protect against various diseases. They can be subdivided into flavonoids, phenolic acid, polyphenolic amides, and other polyphenols.