Macronutrients vs. Phytonutrients

Do you need a product whose label shows high levels of nutrients like Vitamin C? Well, not if you believe "phytonutrients" are more important.

"Phytonutrients are nutrients concentrated in the skins of many vegetables and fruits, and are responsible for their color, hue, scent, and flavor. To a lesser extent, they are also found in grains and seeds."

In the last few years, phytonutrients have been getting greater attention, as more and more research uncovers just how powerful these nutrients are for our health. Phytonutrients are pigments, or more precisely, the biologically active constituents of pigments. They are potent antioxidants that can neutralize free radical damage. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, if left unchecked, can lead to premature aging and poor health.

Clinical trials are now revealing that phytonutrients can enhance the strength of the immune system, and may play a role in promoting good health and longevity. Other studies have shown that the phytonutrients in blueberries and bilberries slow brain aging and maintain healthy vision in rats.

It has long been known that plant-based nutrients are among the most beneficial of foods to consume a great deal of and phytonutrients may hold the key to explaining why this is so.

Açai, for example, is one of the world's most powerful antioxidants. The benefits of antioxidants have been documented thousands of times over, but these benefits cannot be added to a nutritional facts or supplemental facts panel. Therefore, if you feel a particular macronutrient is important to your diet, you should continue to take the supplements you feel necessary.