Bioactive compounds

Allicin forms when fresh garlic is crushed and alliin meets alliinase; it is valuable for aroma and biological activity, but garlic supplements need caution with blood-thinning medicines and sensitive digestion.

A mitochondrial enzyme cofactor and antioxidant-related molecule is studied in diabetic neuropathy and glucose metabolism, but alpha-lipoic acid supplements require attention to medications, dose, and tolerance.

Blue, purple, and red plant pigments from berries and vegetables matter less as antioxidant pills and more as part of a diet connected with vascular function, inflammation, microbiota, and polyphenol variety.

A flavonoid from parsley, celery, chamomile, and herbs; it is studied for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mild neuromodulating effects, but it is not a treatment or a true sleep drug.

This phenolic acid from the hydroxycinnamic acid family occurs in coffee, herbs, berries, olives, spices and many plant foods. It is not caffeine and does not cause coffee’s stimulant effect; its relevance is tied to polyphenols, antioxidant signaling, microbiome metabolites and the quality of the plant part of the diet.

A phenolic acid from coffee, herbs, berries, and vegetables; it is not caffeine, but a polyphenol related to chlorogenic acids, oxidative stress, and microbiota metabolism.

The pungent compound in chili peppers activates TRPV1 receptors, influencing heat sensation, appetite, thermogenesis, pain signaling and mucosal response. Its usefulness depends on dose and tolerance; reflux, gastritis, irritable bowel symptoms and skin sensitivity require caution.

A group of plant pigments that give foods yellow, orange and red colors. Some carotenoids can serve as provitamin A, while others act as dietary antioxidant compounds and support the retina, skin and vascular protection.

Polyphenols from tea, cocoa, berries and some plants are linked with antioxidant defense, vascular function, inflammatory signaling and the microbiome. Their effect depends on product form, dose, processing, caffeine, gut tolerance and the overall diet.

A coffee and plant polyphenol that may influence antioxidant defenses, gut microbes, glucose handling, and vascular function; effects depend on roasting, dose, product form, and caffeine tolerance.

A soy isoflavone found in some legumes acts as a phytoestrogen and can be converted by gut microbes into equol, which changes individual responses. The practical meaning depends on source, soy tolerance, thyroid status, hormonal context and the product’s carbohydrate load.

A plant polyphenol from pomegranate, berries, and nuts, linked with ellagitannins and urolithins; its effects depend on microbiome conversion, dose, and food form.

A group of plant polyphenols from pomegranate, berries, and nuts that gut microbes may convert into urolithins; effects depend on the food matrix and microbiome.

Protein catalysts that speed digestion, energy metabolism, detoxification, clotting, immune function, and thousands of cellular reactions. It is important to distinguish the body’s own enzymes, digestive enzyme supplements, and enzyme markers measured in blood tests.

A flavanol from cocoa, tea, and some fruits, linked with vascular function, nitric oxide, microbiome effects, and polyphenol signaling; effects depend on product form and dose.

A tea and cocoa catechin from the flavan-3-ol family; it matters as part of the polyphenol profile of drinks and foods, not as a separate keto supplement.

A green tea catechin without a gallate group; it differs from EGCG and matters as part of the tea polyphenol profile, not as a separate treatment or mandatory keto supplement.

EGCG is the best-known green tea catechin; it is studied for metabolism and oxidative stress, but concentrated extracts require caution because of liver risk.

A plant polyphenol found in whole grains, seeds, vegetables, coffee, herbs, and plant cell walls. It is relevant as an antioxidant and microbiota-related food component, but in a low-carbohydrate diet real sources and tolerance matter more than supplement promises.

The main green tea catechin with antioxidant activity; generally safer as a beverage than as concentrated extracts, which can stress the liver in susceptible people.

A phenolic acid from tea, berries, pomegranate, nuts, and tannins; it matters as part of the food polyphenol background, while high-dose extracts are not the same as ordinary food.

Plant polyphenols from the hydrolyzable tannin family: they create astringency, can bind proteins and minerals, and behave differently in whole foods than in concentrated extracts.

A soy isoflavone with phytoestrogenic activity: it may mildly affect vascular, bone, and metabolic markers, but thyroid status, hormone-sensitive conditions, and medications matter.

Sulfur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables that form isothiocyanates and indoles when cut or chewed; important for flavor, detox enzymes, and gut tolerance.

A citrus flavanone typical of oranges and citrus peel; it is interesting for vascular and inflammatory context but does not replace treatment for venous disease or blood pressure.

An endogenous substance present in the skin, joints, and connective tissue. It plays a key role in water retention, mechanical protection of tissues, and regenerative processes.

A key phenol of extra virgin olive oil and olives; it is linked with protection of lipids from oxidation, but works best as part of a high-quality diet rather than as a single supplement.

Plant polyphenols from soy, clover and some legumes can interact with estrogen receptors, but their effects depend on dose, microbiota, hormonal status and product form. Whole-food sources and concentrated supplements need different interpretation.

A plant phenolic acid found in grains, berries, peanuts, tomatoes, herbs, and spices; it should not be confused with coumarin or anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin.

These plant polyphenols from seeds, berries, whole plant foods and especially flax can be converted by the microbiota into enterolactone and enterodiol. Their mild phytoestrogenic activity is not hormone therapy; on low-carbohydrate diets, lignans matter as part of fiber, polyphenols and a supportive gut environment.

This enzyme breaks dietary triglycerides into fatty acids and monoglycerides so fat can be absorbed in the intestine. Pancreatic lipase is central, but bile, food mixing and a healthy intestinal lining are also required; blood lipase testing is used mainly when pancreatic injury is suspected, not as a simple measure of fat digestion.

A plant flavonoid from parsley, celery, thyme, chamomile, peppers, and vegetables; it is studied for inflammatory signaling, mast cells, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.

This red carotenoid from tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and rosehip is a fat-soluble marker of the plant part of the diet. It is absorbed better from cooked tomato products with fat; on keto, portion size, sugar-free sauces and the overall context of vegetables, fats and tolerance matter most.

A plant lignan from seeds, whole plant foods, and some vegetables; gut microbiota can convert it into enterolignans, linking diet quality with intestinal metabolism.

A bitter grapefruit and citrus flavonoid studied for oxidative stress and lipid metabolism; its practical importance is strongly shaped by grapefruit-drug interaction risk.

A compound in seeds, grains, legumes, and nuts that stores phosphorus in plants and can bind iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. It should not be demonized, but intake, soaking, fermentation, mineral status, and tolerance of low-carbohydrate sources matter.

Plant sterols and stanols partially compete with cholesterol for absorption in the intestine, so they can moderately lower LDL levels with regular consumption. It is important to understand that this is not a standalone treatment for atherosclerosis, but one of the supportive dietary tools that should be evaluated in conjunction with the overall diet, lipid profile, and tolerance.

A plant lignan from olive oil, sesame, cruciferous vegetables, and some seeds; it should not be confused with pinoxaden and belongs to the broader polyphenol profile of food.

Plant bioactive compounds from berries, cocoa, olive oil, coffee, tea, spices, and vegetables influence taste, color, microbiota, vascular function, and inflammatory signaling. Their value depends on food context and tolerance, not on the idea that more antioxidants are always better.

Polyphenolic compounds from cranberries, grape seeds, cocoa, berries, and some plant barks are studied for vascular support, microbiota interactions, and urinary tract health. They should not be treated as simple antioxidants; source, dose, form, tolerance, and medications matter.

These enzymes break proteins into peptides and amino acids and work in the stomach, pancreas, intestine, and cells. They matter for protein digestion, but protease supplements do not replace diagnosis when heaviness, pain, bloating, or poor food tolerance appears.

This flavonoid from buckwheat, capers, citrus peel, berries, and some herbs is linked with blood vessel walls, antioxidant defense, and vitamin C metabolism. It should not be treated as a standalone vein medicine; diet, blood pressure, inflammation, medications, and bleeding risk matter.

A beta-hydroxy acid related to salicylates: in skin care it helps oily skin and comedones, while medically it must be distinguished from aspirin and dietary salicylates.

Plant glycosides from legumes, herbs, quinoa, fenugreek, ginseng, and some vegetables can foam, interact with membranes, and influence bile acids, microbiota, and taste. Their effect depends on dose and processing: in foods they may be part of the plant matrix, while extracts more often cause gut irritation and medication risks.

A lignan from flaxseed and some whole plant foods; gut microbiota can convert it into enterodiol and enterolactone, so its effect depends on diet and gut ecology.

This lipid precursor of cholesterol and steroid synthesis occurs in olive oil, amaranth oil, and human sebum. It should not be confused with cosmetic squalane: dietary squalene is part of a fat matrix, not a proven standalone anti-aging or liver treatment.

A sulfur-containing compound formed from glucoraphanin in cruciferous vegetables with the help of the enzyme myrosinase. It is best understood as a food-derived signal for antioxidant and stress-response pathways, not as a universal detox supplement.

Plant polyphenols that give tea, cacao, berries, nuts, spices, and red wine their astringent taste. They matter not only as antioxidants but also as compounds that bind proteins and minerals, influence tolerance, shape flavor, and may affect iron absorption.

A phenolic alcohol from olive oil and olive products; it should be distinguished from the amino acid tyrosine and understood together with hydroxytyrosol and oil quality.

A pentacyclic triterpenoid found in the waxy layer of plants, especially apple peel, rosemary, thyme and other aromatic herbs. In nutrition it matters as part of whole plant foods, not as a reason to replace food with concentrated extracts.