Have you heard the term ‘polyphenol’? Polyphenol compounds are receiving the attention of scientific and health community lately because of their benefits for human body.

Polyphenols are chemical compounds that are present in many naturally occurring food products and can also be found in some of the synthetic foods. Polyphenol is also used as dietary supplements and can be taken as prescribed medicine.

Polyphenols are phytochemicals that occur in plants and render the color to plants. The red fruits and vegetables usually have the highest amount of polyphenols. The sources of polyphenol include peaches, pomegranate, grapes, oranges, reddish, organic extra virgin olive oil, Cocoa powder, dark chocolate among many others.

There are four major categories of polyphenols including phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and ligands and these broad categories can be extracted from different types of fruits, vegetables, soy, grains, and fats. The research has shown that polyphenols have a positive impact on health and doctors recommend high consumption of polyphenol sources.

One of the many important sources of polyphenol in fats is the high polyphenol olive oil. As polyphenols are usually extracted from oil during filtration and refining, it is better to use unprocessed or least processed virgin olive oil to keep its polyphenol level intact.

If you are wondering about the benefits of olive oil with a high quantity of polyphenol, here are five benefits of taking olive oil rich in polyphenol.

1 - Acts as An Antioxidant

The polyphenols in the olive oil act as the antioxidant which means that these compounds minimize free radicals in the body. The antioxidants affect the human health in various way from improving body functions and digestions to skincare. The antioxidants can fight off cell damage in the body, enhancing body’s immunity to fight off any diseases.

2 - Lower Cholesterol

The polyphenol compound can help you to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. There is good cholesterol, and bad cholesterol in the body and higher level of bad cholesterol increases the risk of heart diseases choking arteries. Therefore, the polyphenols in the extra virgin olive oil can help you maintain cholesterol level within safe limits.

You can consume virgin olive oil which is extracted from one farm and make sure that it is less processed. It is better to consume it in the raw form.

3 - Improves Artery Function

The inner surface of the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels is made from endothelial cells. According to the studies, polyphenol compounds have a direct impact on the growth of the endothelial cell, regulating the functions of the blood vessel. Along with this, there is a positive impact of polyphenol on genes expression which regulates angiogenesis and other roles of the endothelium. As olive oil in itself has antioxidant characteristics, the high polyphenol organic extra virgin olive oil can improve the overall endothelium resulting in improved cardiovascular health.

4 - Prevent Platelet Clumping

Platelet clumping is a type of a human health problem which is also called platelet aggregation. In platelet clumping, the platelets clump or coagulate together, and it can lead to the formation of clots in the blood. The polyphenol compounds inhibit platelet clumping in blood, preventing the formation of harmful or unnecessary blood clots. In case of bruise or bleeding, the platelet clump together to form a clot to stop bleeding. But a high aggregation level may lead to the development of blood clots in the body.

5 - Fight Inflammation

Polyphenols fight inflammation in the body and can regulate muscle damage or chemicals that cause inflammation. As inflammation is related to various other diseases, polyphenols help to fight these diseases including cardiovascular problems. In that sense, polyphenols can also prevent other serious diseases like cancer in human body.

Article Source: www.medium.com