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"Phyto" is a Greek word that means plant. So a phytonutrient is a "plant nutrient." These nutrients are found within the skin of the plant and are not the vitamins and minerals of the plant but rather the pigments (color, hue, flavor and scent) within the plant.
Researchers have discovered in recent years that phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) may have positive effects on human health and the prevention of disease. The American Cancer Society has heavily promoted the consumption of phytonutrients to the public. This is also witnessed within the food pyramid’s recommended amount of 2-4 servings of fruits and 3-5 servings of vegetables a day.
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Unfortunately, chances are that you are not getting enough of these nutrients... even if you are eating the recommended amounts. As with glyconutrients, most of the store-bought fruits and vegetables are picked while they are still green, so that by the time they reach the stores they are ripe rather than rotten. This makes sense to the growers, but it doesn’t help us get the phytonutrients that we need. These fruits are picked before the phytochemicals even have a chance to travel through the stems and branches to the produce. Once the plant has been picked from the vine the process of developing phytonutrients stops and you don’t get the full benefit of the plant unless it was ripened before being picked.
The solution to this problem is to pick these vegetables after they are mature or vine-ripened and then flash freeze them. When vegetables are flash frozen, they turn into a powdered form and retain all of their nutritional properties. These flash frozen fruits and vegetables are then put into tablets and sold as nutritional supplements.
Medical Disclaimer: I am not medically qualified to
diagnose or treat people. The intention of this website is to provide quality health and nutritional
information for it's readers, but not to replace the advice of their physicians.
Glyconutrients Information
