There are recommended daily intakes of essential nutrients, like vitamins to prevent deficiencies.

But recently, the first dietary recommendation for a bioactive food compound was published.

Bioactives are food compounds that are not necessary

for basic human needs, but may have health benefits. For example, plant metabolites

called flavonoids. Flavinoids are a type of polyphenol, of which the most commonly consumed

are flavanthriols, also known as just flaminols.

A review of the literature suggested that the intake of 400 to 600 to 600 milligrams a day of flavinols would be beneficial for cardiometabolic protection, potentially helping to improve

blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars.

Note it specified that these are food guidelines, not supplement guidelines,

though really they're more like beverage guidelines, as tea, green or black, would be by

far the easiest way to reach those levels, though there are also certainly some in a variety

of berries and cocoa. However, there is an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase that can break down

polyphenols like flavonols. That's what causes certain fruits and vegetables to brown when

you cut into them like bananas and potatoes. Why would a plant do that to itself? Apparently,

as a defense mechanism, part of the plant's own immune system, when exposed

to oxygen, polyphenol oxidase can oxidize polyphenols into breakdown products with

antimicrobial activity.

So when a banana gets bruised or you cut open an avocado, the polyphenol oxidase can start oxidizing polyphenols

into defensive compounds that can glom together and form a brown compound called melanin.

The same class of compounds that darkens the skin of a banana darkens our skin too.

Okay, no problem.

We can just not eat brown bananas, as that's visual evidence that many

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