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What are Bioflavonoids Supplements?
Bioflavonoids are a class of molecules found in several types of plants, including fruits and vegetables of most kinds. These molecules are present in many everyday foods and beverages, including coffee and tea, as well as green tea, citrus fruits, grapes and many others. These substances are thought to help promote health, prevent premature aging and reduce the risk of degenerative diseases. A balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruits will, by definition, include plenty of bioflavonoids, but anyone wishing to have more of these health-promoting substances in their diet can use bioflavonoids supplements to increase their intake.
In plants, bioflavonoids are responsible for the bright colors of many fruits and vegetables. These molecules have another role in plants: they act as antioxidants, helping to provide protection against damage caused by sun exposure. Bioflavonoids also act as antioxidants in humans, providing similar benefits as well as other health-promoting properties. These plant molecules can help reduce the outward signs of aging, provide protection against heart disease, control blood pressure and cholesterol, relieve premenstrual syndrome and menopause symptoms and might even protect against certain types of cancer.
Despite the fact that bioflavonoids are present in a very wide range of plant foods, people with certain health conditions might not be able to get enough in their diets. For example, someone with a gastrointestinal condition that reduces nutrient absorption might be deficient in some types of bioflavonoids. People with these types of health conditions, and others who want to increase their intake of bioflavonoids, sometimes choose to take bioflavonoids supplements. It should be noted that these substances do not have curative powers; taking bioflavonoid dietary supplements cannot cure cancer, for example. Scientific research does show, however, that bioflavonoids help improve health.
When chosen carefully, bioflavonoids supplements not only help increase the overall intake of these substances, they also help improve the variety of bioflavonoids that are available in the body. This is important because different types of bioflavonoids work in different parts of the body. For example, grape-seed extract can help improve the symptoms of coronary disease, and green tea is useful in improving gastrointestinal health. Therefore, ingesting a wide variety of bioflavonoids helps ensure that they are active all over the body.
When purchasing bioflavonoids supplements, it is important to choose products made by companies that follow a production code called Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Companies that adhere to this set of global standards follow a manufacturing code that ensures that their products are made and tested to high standards. Purchasing GMP-compliant bioflavonoids supplements means that ingredients are clearly labeled on the product, and the ingredients are standardized to ensure that the product is of consistent quality.
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