Bravo L
Departamento de Metabolismo y Nutrición, Instituto del Frío (CSIC), Ciudad Universitaria s/n, Madrid, Spain.
Nutr Rev. 1998 Nov;56(11):317-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1998.tb01670.x.
Polyphenols constitute one of the most numerous and ubiquitous groups of plant metabolites and are an integral part of both human and animal diets. Ranging from simple phenolic molecules to highly polymerized compounds with molecular weights of greater than 30,000 Da, the occurrence of this complex group of substances in plant foods is extremely variable. Polyphenols traditionally have been considered antinutrients by animal nutritionists, because of the adverse effect of tannins, one type of polyphenol, on protein digestibility. However, recent interest in food phenolics has increased greatly, owing to their antioxidant capacity (free radical scavenging and metal chelating activities) and their possible beneficial implications in human health, such as in the treatment and prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other pathologies. Much of the literature refers to a single group of plant phenolics, the flavonoids. This review offers an overview of the nutritional effects of the main groups of polyphenolic compounds, including their metabolism, effects on nutrient bioavailability, and antioxidant activity, as well as a brief description of the chemistry of polyphenols and their occurrence in plant foods.
多酚是植物代谢产物中数量最多、分布最广的一类物质，是人类和动物饮食中不可或缺的一部分。从简单的酚类分子到分子量大于30,000 Da的高度聚合化合物，这类复杂物质在植物性食物中的含量差异极大。传统上，动物营养学家认为多酚是抗营养物质，因为其中一种多酚——单宁酸会对蛋白质消化率产生不利影响。然而，近年来人们对食品中的酚类物质兴趣大增，这是由于它们具有抗氧化能力（自由基清除和金属螯合活性），以及对人类健康可能具有的有益影响，如在癌症、心血管疾病和其他病症的治疗与预防方面。许多文献都只提及了一类植物酚类物质——黄酮类化合物。本综述概述了主要多酚类化合物的营养作用，包括它们的代谢、对营养素生物利用率的影响以及抗氧化活性，还简要介绍了多酚的化学性质及其在植物性食物中的存在情况。
