Message #41370

[mccoy]

Yes Steve, thanks for the opportunity to review the fascinating world of organic plant chemistry.

Flavonoids are a subgroup of the very wide group of polyphenols, compounds of which the vegetable world is very rich and are usually associated with beneficial effects.

The polyphenols of cacao are flavonoids, a sub-sub group called flavanols (or flavan-3-ols) of which the most 'effective' is probably the (-)- epicatechin.

I've read extensively about the benefits of epicatechin and other cocoa flavanols, so much so that I consume substantial amounts of it (in the form of unsweetened cacao powder and dark chocolate).

The main polyphenols in extra-virgin olive oil are called secoiridoids and have their own specific benefits. There is a vast literature on this subject.

Plants appear to be a natural pharmacy at our disposal, replete with compounds for illness prevention.