Types of Bioflavonoids and Uses
Bioflavonoids are plant pigments and they are used to attract insects for pollination. They also provide protection to the plant from UV radiation and act to prevent many plant diseases. They have many qualities that we can benefit from such as anti-inflammation, antibiotic, antiviral, antioxidant, non-allergenic etc. They are generally found in citrus fruits, wine, tea and dark chocolate. Many fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids.
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid that can protect the eye from radiation exposure damage. It also has inflammation reducing properties. There are quercetin supplements that you can add to your diet. If you are wondering how can quercetin supplements help me, they are linked to many health benefits such as optic nerve health, lens support, preventing the deterioration of fine capillaries in the retina etc. Quercetin is found in red onions, citrus, tomatoes, red grapes, black tea, green tea, apples, leafy greens etc. Quercetin can also inhibit the release of histamine which will alleviate allergic reactions. It has also been found to have a beneficial effect on diabetes as it can improve the secretion of insulin. It can prevent retinopathy and diabetic cataracts. There are also antiviral properties of quercetin.
Rutin is another bioflavonoid that is quite similar to quercetin that will provide similar benefits so you can look for a supplement that contains both. Rutin is an antioxidant as well and it can fight free radicals. It has also been linked to the prevention of some cancers. There have been animal studies conducted regarding rutin where it has been shown to prevent leakage of blood vessels and decrease inflammation in the body. It can be helpful for both haemorrhoids and varicose veins. Some of the food sources of rutin are citrus fruits, peaches, asparagus, buckwheat, apples, red onions, spinach, grapes and garlic. Citrus bioflavonoids have antioxidant effects and can improve capillary permeability. These also have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effects similar to quercetin.
Bilberry is a bioflavonoid that can have an effect on many issues related to vision. Some of the problems that it can help with are myopia, macular degeneration, poor night vision, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic myopathy. A powerful antioxidant under the flavonoids is catechins. They are found in brewed green tea and cocoa. You can also find it in raspberries, blackberries, apples, beans, pears and cherries. You can also find epicatechins in cocoa that have powerful antioxidant properties. But you need to understand that bioflavonoids leave the body very quickly and it is quite difficult to digest. More studies are conducted to look at how bioflavonoids can be digested effectively. Some of the polyphenols or flavonoids that you can find in green tea in addition to catechins and epicatachins are proanthocyanidins and epigallocatechin gallate. Some of the citrus bioflavonoids are rutin, naringin and hesperidin. They are known to help with bruising and treat capillary permeability. Green tea polyphenols are known to trap cancer causing compounds and can suppress the activation of carcinogenic agents. They can also increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the small and large bowel.