In addition to helping you maintain a constant weight and have enough energy to get through the day, a well-balanced, healthy diet can enable you to think more clearly and reduce mood swings. In designing such a diet, it is important to pay attention to the amount and types of flavonoids, a particular group of plant pigments and metabolites. Fortunately, incorporating flavonoids into your diet as part of a delicious and well-balanced meal plan is easy to do.
Flavonoids can be found in a wide variety of sources including citrus fruits, parsley, onions, berries, tea, red wine, and chocolate. Some such as quercetin are also available in supplement form. Using in vitro experiments, scientists have shown that flavonoids may have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that that they may even decrease the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
This is due to their antioxidant properties, meaning that they can block chain reactions of oxidation that can damage or kill cells. This damage can result in memory problems, irritability, and fatigue. Interestingly, flavonoids and vitamin C stimulate each other’s antioxidant abilities, and some functions of vitamin C depend on flavonoids. High levels of both of vitamin C and flavonoids are found in many whole foods, such as citrus fruits, as well as in supplements.
To begin incorporating more flavonoids into a healthy Mediterranean diet, try the following: For breakfast, drink one or two cups of green tea with a yogurt parfait made from yogurt, cherries, and granola. Both the green tea and the cherries have high levels of flavonoids. For lunch, eat a chickpea salad with romaine lettuce, chickpeas, onions, orange slices, green pepper, and olive oil.
The onions and oranges keep flavonoid levels high, chickpeas provide protein to keep your energy levels constant, and the olive oil supplies your body with beneficial fats that keep you feeling full. At dinner, grilled chicken and steamed or roasted fresh vegetables are a great combination. Eat them with red wine, and add in a piece of chocolate for dessert.
Because flavonoids are found in so many different fruits and vegetables, eating sufficient amounts of them is surprisingly easy to do. As a result of a balanced diet that includes many good sources of flavonoids, you may find that you feel less irritable and are better able to respond to stressful situations, that you can think more clearly, and that you feel more energetic.
