Health Nutrition & Diet 11 Polyphenol-Rich Foods and Drinks—Plus Why You Should Eat More These powerful plant compounds come from a variety of healthy things. By Christina Manian, RDN Updated on June 14, 2024 Medically reviewed by Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN Medically reviewed by Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN is a nationally recognized nutrition expert with over 16 years of experience in culinary nutrition and communications. Learn More Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Close Photo: Anna Blazhuk/Getty Images When considering the nutritional value of a certain food, we often immediately turn our attention to what macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and micronutrients (those we need in smaller quantities, such as vitamins and minerals) it contains. But when it comes to plant foods, their nutrition goes even deeper—much deeper—mainly because plant foods are rich in polyphenols. What are polyphenols, and why are they so good for us? Where can you find them? Read all about it here. What Are Polyphenols? Polyphenols—also commonly called plant compounds, phytochemicals, phenolic compounds, and plant chemicals—are a class of compounds only found in plant-based foods. Polyphenols are technically considered micronutrients, and there are an astounding 8,000 known polyphenols (so far). Because of this, they’re broken down into classes and subclasses based on their chemical structures. Generally, polyphenols are categorized into two main classes: flavonoids, the most abundant in the diet, and non-flavonoids, encompassing phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes. Within these classes are subclasses, including flavonols, anthocyanidins, and isoflavones. Then, even within these subclasses, you’ll find individual plant compounds like quercetin, kaempferol, resveratrol, catechins, tannins, and ferulic acid. While carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and lycopene are plant chemicals and typically grouped into similar discussions, they’re technically plant pigments, and not polyphenols, so won’t be included here. Note: How Many Polyphenols Do You Need Per Day? Consuming one to two grams of polyphenols per day is ideal to help prevent chronic illness. But who wants another number to keep track of every day? Every single plant-based food will contain at least some amount of plant compounds, so you don’t have to worry too much about choosing the perfect phytonutrient-rich food. As long as you’re consuming several sources of plant-based foods per day, including some particularly polyphenol-rich foods (see below), you should be good to go. Health Benefits of Polyphenols Don't let all this science talk intimidate you—you don’t need a degree in biochemistry to understand just how good polyphenols are for your health. Fight Free Radicals Every phytochemical will serve as an antioxidant in the body, offering powerful anti-inflammatory benefits and targeting free radicals. Free radicals are oxidative (hence polyphenols being antioxidants) molecules that are the root cause of so many ailments we experience throughout life. These can range anywhere from aging-related concerns, like stubborn wrinkles and loss of eyesight acuity, to serious disease and medical conditions, like cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative conditions, diabetes, and more. Reduce Inflammation and Prevent Disease Beyond their antioxidant power, polyphenols have been well-researched in relation to almost every health concern you can think of. Studies have shown plant compounds to be associated with improved eye, oral, and gut health. Evidence also hints that these powerful plant chemicals are effective in the prevention and treatment of cancer, diabetes, and heart, liver, kidney, and neurodegenerative diseases. Polyphenols work to reduce the risk or advancement of cancer by removing cancer cells through modifying signaling pathways, inhibiting cell cycle events, and inducing apoptosis (cell death). They also regulate the enzymes that are involved in the proliferation of tumor cells. Improve Circulation Polyphenols have been shown to decrease circulating the metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) by regulating its synthesis in the gut microbiota. They also enhance endothelial function, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and promote vasodilation, The result of this means improved circulation and improved blood pressure. Aid Digestion Polyphenols enhance gut health, which means that they can also help aid digestion. They essentially act as prebiotics, promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria, which helps to counteract that bad stuff. A healthy gut can also digest food and absorb nutrients easier, so not only can they help you feel better, but your body also gets more of what it needs. Foods Rich in Polyphenols Add more of these foods into your diet to get your fix of polyphenols. Here are some of the best options to keep in your pantry. 01 of 11 Spices Caitlin Bensel While many consider spices to be merely flavoring agents in recipes, these pungent ingredients are packed with beneficial nutrients—especially polyphenols. In fact, cloves are one of the richest sources of polyphenols you can find, with a massive 15.1 grams (g) per 100 g of this spice. For the same amount, star anise boasts 5.5 g, celery seed 2.1 g, and curry powder 0.3 grams. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 11 Herbs Greg DuPree Similar to spices, herbs also don’t get enough nutritional credit. So many of our favorite leafy, aromatic seasonings are impressively high in plant compounds. In 100 g, peppermint offers a staggering 12 g of polyphenols, while Mexican oregano contains 2.3 g, sage 1.2 g, rosemary 1 g, thyme 0.9 g…you get the picture. So, use up those herbs! Don’t let them go to waste: If you’ve had enough herb garnishes (is that even possible?), whirl them into fragrant pesto or chimichurri sauce, toss them with rice or potatoes, make herby dips, blend up glorious green goddess dressing, or use for savory marinades. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 11 Cocoa Victor Protasio As if you needed another reason to love chocolate, cocoa is very rich in polyphenols, with 3.4 g in 100 g of cocoa powder and 1.7 g in the same amount of dark chocolate. Whether you bake with it, make your own hot cocoa, or simply enjoy a piece of rich, dark chocolate after dinner, there’s no shortage of ways to savor this delectable favorite. Keep in mind that the darker the chocolate, the richer in phenolic compounds. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 11 Nut and Seeds Greg DuPree Beyond being the best crunchy afternoon snack, nuts and seeds are loaded with fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and loads of plant compounds. Flaxseed boasts 1.5 g per 100 g, while chestnuts provide 1.2 g, and hazelnuts and pecans measure in at 0.5 grams. These options are also a great way to start your day—excellent for mixing into or topping oatmeal, yogurt, waffles, and smoothie bowls. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 11 Berries Caitlin Bensel Berries are infamous for being incredible sources of plant compounds like polyphenols, and robust data back it up. In 100 grams, elderberry contains 1.4 g, blueberry 0.8 g, black currant 0.8 g, blackberry 0.3 g, strawberry 0.2 g, and raspberry 0.2 g. These berries lend so nicely to yummy superfood jams, baked goods, breakfast foods, salads, and more. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 11 Plums Heami Lee While plums and their dried counterpart, prunes, aren’t always the first fruits people reach for, they seriously deliver on flavor, can support healthy digestion, and offer tons of micronutrients, including phytochemicals. You’ll find a noteworthy 0.4 g of polyphenols per 100 grams of fresh plums. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 11 Cherries Greg DuPree Who doesn’t love cherries? These summer favorites taking up residence on countless countertops all season long are not only irresistibly sweet but chock-full of polyphenols. In 100 g of cherries, you’ll get 0.3 g of powerful phytonutrients. And don't sleep on cherries as a savory recipe ingredient. Case in point: these cherry-bourbon chicken wings are a crowd-pleaser. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 11 Artichokes Caitlin Bensel While all veggies, including broccoli, kale, spinach, lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes, contain polyphenols, artichokes come out as the veggie on top. They offer 0.3 g per 100 g, giving you another reason to start cooking artichokes and use more of them in everything from cheesy pasta bakes to hearty dressings. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 11 Tea and Coffee Crystal Hughes Finally, we have our classic morning pick-me-ups, coffee and tea. Beyond giving you the jolt you need to get going, both of these comforting beverages are packed with plant chemicals. Coffee offers us 0.2 g per 100 milliliters, and green and black tea boast 0.1 g in the same amount. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 11 Soy Products Yan Budi Setiawan/Getty Images Soy products are very high in polyphenols. A lot of vegetarian meat alternatives are made out of soy, so you can usually bank on those containing polyphenols (think: veggie burgers and veggie breakfast sausages). However, they don't have such a high antioxidant content. You are better off sticking with whole soybeans, soy flour, or tempeh. One hundred grams of soy meat contains just .08 g of polyphenols, but soy tempeh, for example, contains about .15 g. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 11 Olives Getty Images Olives are also packed with polyphenols. For example, 100 g of black olives contain about .57 g of polyphenols, while 100 g of green olives has about .35 g. These polyphenols tend to include flavonols, lignans, and glycosides. Olive oil and olive leaf extracts are two other ways you can consume them. GET THE RECIPE 19 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat Every Day for Long-Term Health Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Singla RK, Dubey AK, Garg A, et al. Natural polyphenols: chemical classification, definition of classes, subcategories, and structures. J AOAC Int. 2019;102(5):1397-1400. doi:10.5740/jaoacint.19-0133 Truzzi F, Tibaldi C, Zhang Y, Dinelli G, D Amen E. An overview on dietary polyphenols and their biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS). Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(11):5514. doi:10.3390/ijms22115514 Kapolou A, Karantonis HC, Rigopoulos N, Koutelidakis AE. 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