Category Archives: Hydroxycinnamic Acids

Damsons (Prunus domestica): Antioxidants

Damsons (Prunus domestica) are an edible drupaceous fruit from a species of plum tree. Damsons are often used for jam (conserves) as well as in pies and crumbles. They have a tart taste and a deep rich red colour in … Continue reading

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The Vitamin C and Polyphenol Content of Peaches

Fruit is an excellent source of nutrients, particularly antioxidants. Peaches contain high amounts of vitamin C and polyphenols, both of which have been shown to have antioxidant effects in humans and animals. Studies have investigated the vitamin C and polyphenol … Continue reading

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Coumaric Acid: Anti-Anxiety Polyphenol

The hydroxycinnamates are polyphenols found in plants, including coffee, fruit and certain herbs. Hydroxycinnamates, like many polyphenols, have been shown to possess anti-anxiety effects. Coumaric acid is a hydroxylated derivative of cinnamic acid and is found in foods in three … Continue reading

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Chlorogenic Acid: Another Mood Elevating Polyphenol

Chlorogenic acid is a phytochemical that belongs to the hydroxycinnamate group of polyphenols. Chlorogenic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid. As with caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid is an intermediate in the synthesis of lignin and therefore … Continue reading

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Walnuts: Brain Food

It is often claimed that brain diseases such as dementia are a result of an ageing population, but this theory is flawed for two main reasons. Firstly, Western individuals are not living longer compared to those from the early 20th … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Antioxidant, Brain, Caffeic Acid, Chlorogenic Acid, Courmarins, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Ellagic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Flavonoids, Hydroxycinnamic Acids, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Polyphenols, Tannins, Walnuts | Comments Off on Walnuts: Brain Food

An Apple a Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Fruit consumption is associated with improved health outcomes. In particular those who consume more fruit have been observed to have lower rates of Western lifestyle diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity. The reason that fruit is beneficial to … Continue reading

Posted in Antioxidant, Apples, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Chalcones, Flavonoids, Hydroxycinnamic Acids, Inflammation, Phloretin / Phlorizin, Polyphenols, Quercetin, Vitamin C | Comments Off on An Apple a Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Why Does Bruised Fruit Turn Brown?

Fruit is a rich source of polyphenols. Polphenols are chemicals that may give fruit some of its health promoting qualities in humans, where they are thought to function as antioxidants in plasma. Polyphenols are a diverse group of chemicals and … Continue reading

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Polyphenol Oxidases in Plants

Polyphenol oxidases are a group of copper containing enzymes found in plants, animals and bacteria. In plants, during fruit maturation, it is thought that polyphenol oxidases are largely responsible for the brown discolouration associated with ripening. This brown discolouration originates … Continue reading

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Glycaemic Effects of Coffee

Coffee is of interest to nutritional scientists because it has been shown to contain a number of chemicals with biological action in humans. The most widely known of these is caffeine, which has been shown to activate the sympathetic nervous … Continue reading

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