Monday, August 31, 2009

Dear Mary, I’ve heard a lot about phytochemicals. What are these? And are they just another trendy fad?

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found in plants. These chemical compounds are what the plants use to protect themselves from bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Providing further evidence in the health benefits of diets that include fruits and vegetables.

However phytochemicals are more than just a fad. For over millennia, doctors have prescribed various herbs and other plants to treat any ailments. Now with modern medicine, researchers are discovering the new ways phytochemicals improve a person’s health. In fact, according to Stanford Medicine’s Cancer Center phytochemicals reduces the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases that might also be prevented by eating more fruits and vegetables.