Phytonutrients - What are they?

Phytonutrients aren’t essential for life but they are essential for optimum health and longevity. These chemicals, found in minute amounts in plant foods, provide thousands of additional reasons to eat your fruits and vegetables.

Phyto comes from the Greek word meaning ‘plant’. Phytonutrients are compounds the plant naturally produces for multiple reasons; To protect itself against bacteria, viruses and fungi, to sustain its life functions such as photosynthesis, and to act as anti-oxidants to protect itself from the damaging effects of oxygen and sunlight. And while the role of phytonutrients is for the plant’s benefit, research shows that humans benefit from them as well. In humans, these phytonutrients act as anti-oxidants, cancer inhibitors, immune system boosters, and reduce genetic damage due to pollution and environmental toxins. Researchers are still discovering the ways in which phytochemicals may protect against certain diseases, boost immune system responses, mediate enzyme functions and hormonal actions.

In humans, these phytonutrients act as anti-oxidants, cancer inhibitors, immune system boosters, and reduce genetic damage due to pollution and environmental toxins.

Literally thousands of phytonutrients have been identified. To help understand and study them, they have been grouped in families based on their chemical structure and biological activity. The classification of phytonutrients is said to be extensive and confusing. One way to avoid the confusion in making sure you get plenty of health-promoting phytonutrients in your diet is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables in a wide variety of rich, vibrant colors…..like the colors of the rainbow. That’s because pigments, which lend color to the fruits and vegetables are phytonutrients. For example, lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. It also may help to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Other, less colorful plant foods also have a rich amount of phytonutrients, including nuts, seeds, grains, cauliflower, onions, garlic, soy, and tea.

One food may contain several different families of phytonutrients. Soybeans, for example, contain phytoesterol, isoflavones, and protease inhibitors. And, each family of phytonutrients has a particular effect on biological functions. For example, the isoflavone familiy of phytochemicals inhibits cancer cell growth and division.

It is thought that phytonutrients are destroyed or removed by modern food processing techniques, so eating fresh, minimally cooked and processed fruits and vegetables is encouraged. Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood utilizes a very low temperature dehydration process that keep our fruits and vegetables minimally processed and 'raw'. This ensures the anti-oxidant and phytonutrient power remains intact.

Since natural foods contain phytonutrients in unique combinations, it could be that their unique mix is key to their effectiveness. Therefore, individual supplements of isolated phytonutrients may not work. The only way to be sure you get all the benefits is to eat the whole food that contains nature’s intended mix. Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood contains whole food fruit and vegetable powders. All 33 fruits and vegetables are used whole, dried very quickly at a low temperature then powdered and combined with kid pleasing flavors of cocoa and vanilla to provide a delicious and phyto-nutritious drink.