How do Phytochemicals, Found in Smoothies, Help Fight Disease?

Phytochemicals, that’s a big word, enough to make your eyes role back into your head, and say “who cares?”

So we are going to take a layman’s approach to this and “keep it simple”, so that you can understand the relationship of food and why smoothies are so good for you.

Phytochemicals* are simply chemicals found in plants. As plants evolved, over time, they developed their own strategies for survival. They produced chemicals that would aid the plant in fighting off disease, and the toxic effects of the surrounding environment.

Geography plays a role, as plants growing the tropics have different chemical attributes that those growing in colder climates. As a result, there are thousands of different plant chemicals. Food science studies these chemicals, and as more is learned, the information is published.

But there is still so much that is not known...and sometimes what is known often conflicts with other findings.

A perfect example of this is how Chinese medicine, for thousands of years, has been based on the benefits of herbal medicines, and the relationship of plant chemicals in warding off disease.

But, often, western medicine conflicts with this ancient methodology.

Western medicine,does recognizes the important of a diet rich in Phytochemicals and how this correlates to lower incidences of cancer, heart disease, and so forth.

This is evidenced by 30 years of research conducted on the use of plant chemicals in pharmaceuticals, as opposed to synthetic chemicals.

*source; Phytochemicals.info

Recent research indicates that the same properties plant chemicals have in warding off disease, will do the same for humans.

How does that work?

Here is the super condensed version.

• Everyday, your body is exposed to a huge variety of toxins, pollutants, etc, from the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat, essentially, coming from your environment.

• Your body’s natural processes of daily living create it’s own toxins and waste.

• You are exposed to viruses, and bacteria, and

• Other factors such as stress at work create imbalances in your body chemistry.

Because of these factors and others, your body produces something called Free Radicals. They are created as a natural by product of just living and breathing, burning up fuel and oxygen to keep the body going.

In other words, you can’t prevent free radicals from forming.

Free Radicals are unstable. They are like an excited bee hive. You want to avoid them, just like a bee hive! Free Radicals seek out your body’s stable molecules, and try to bond with them.

There exists a basic premise in nature; everything is trying to exert less energy, and doing nothing, kind of like a couch potato!

Free radicals want to be lazy, they want to attach themselves to healthy body cells. It's like a free ride.

When they do attach, they attack healthy cells, and disrupt them! When the amount of disruption exceeds your body’s ability to fight it off, you get sick, or develop some chronic disease.

To the rescue comes Phytochemicals. Phytochemicals have teams of superstars called antioxidants. These superstars seek out the Free Radicals, attach to them, and neutralize them!

That’s worth repeating; they neutralize them!

They are no longer a threat. Disease and illness are kept in check. Your ability to live a long and healthy life depends on fighting off and preventing disease…and all this comes from eating something as simple as plant foods…fruits and vegetables.

Insider Tip; Whole foods such as those listed in the Super Foods page are excellent sources of Phytochemicals. Try to avoid processed foods that have lost some or all of their nutritional value.

Making your own fruit smoothies or vegetable smoothies becomes a fun and easy way to get the most benefit from eating fruits and vegetables! Enjoy

This is the Phytochemical Page, click here to return to Super Foods