Top 8 Foods High in Quercetin (List) – A Powerful Antioxidant

Quercetin is a flavonoid (plant pigment and antioxidant), found in vegetables and fruits. Antioxidants protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Usual health conditions related to free radicals include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and degenerative disorders.

Simply put, all antioxidants can protect your cells from premature aging.

Heavily processed foods, animal foods, unhealthy beverages and a toxic environment filled with poisonous household chemicals and personal care products can easily threaten our health.

Health Benefits of Quercetin 

Cardiovascular Health

It may benefit those suffering from heart disease.

This antioxidant inhibits the proliferation and migration of aortic smooth muscle cells, improves the health of the endothelium, inhibits platelet aggregation, and protects vascular endothelial cells against oxidative and proinflammatory insults.

Hypertension

Hypertension is known as a “silent killer.” About 1 of every 3 adults in the US has hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a vasodilating, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant substance, this flavonoid maintains your heart’s health.

A 2011 Korean study on male smokers concluded that consuming foods high in this nutrient helps reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), raise HDL cholesterol, and lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure slightly.

Prostate Health

Preliminary studies indicate that this flavonoid might reduce symptoms of prostatitis (infection of the prostate).

One research found that men who took the supplement experienced fewer symptoms than men who took a placebo.

Prostatitis symptoms can include:

• flu-like signs and symptoms;
• painful ejaculation;
• discomfort or pain of the testicles or penis;
• burning sensation or pain when urinating;
• pain in the area between the rectum and scrotum;
• pain in the lower back, groin, and abdomen;
• blood in the urine;
• cloudy urine;
• urgent need to urinate;
• frequent urination;
• difficulty urinating.

Anti-inflammatories Properties

More and more studies show that chronic inflammation is involved in heavy-hitting illnesses.

Inflammation occurs naturally in your body. But when it goes wrong or goes on too long, it can trigger disease processes.

This healing antioxidant can help stop damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, which negatively influence how cells work, including damaging cell membranes, increasing cell mutations, changing the way DNA works, and causing healthy cells to die.

Improves Endurance Exercise Capacity

One study found evidence that taking 500 milligrams of quercetin supplement twice/day, helped protect bicyclists from developing exercise-induced respiratory infections, which usually occur in elite athletes following periods of heavy exercise.

Another study, conducted in 2012 by researchers from the School of Applied Physiology, Atlanta, established that on average:

“quercetin provides a statistically significant benefit in human endurance exercise capacity and endurance exercise performance.”

Liver Health

Your liver is your body’s “toxic waste dump,” receiving and detoxifying the bulk of the poisons it is exposed to every day.

In one research, the liver of rats given toxins was much better protected when they were pre-treated with this nutrient.

Allergies

Histamine is a natural compound produced by the body and is also present in many foods (especially in animal products). In addition, histamine is released by the body during times of stress and allergy. The release of histamine can be caused by almost any allergen.

Examples include drugs (sulfa, penicillin, aspirin), inhalant allergens (dust mite, ragweed pollen, eat dander), stinging insect venoms, and foods (wheat, eggs, milk, fish, etc).

This powerful antioxidant can help stabilize the release of histamines from certain immune cells, which results in decreased symptoms like watery eyes, coughs, swollen lips or tongue, runny nose, hives, and indigestion.

Moreover, a Chinese herbal formula, known as FAHF – Food Allergy Herbal Formula, has been related to the blocking of anaphylaxis to peanuts in mouse models.

Kidney Health

Kidney disease leading to kidney failure is an under-recognized epidemic in the U.S. Protecting the kidneys is crucial, for once they are damaged, it becomes hard, if not impossible, to restore healthy function.

Many factors can interfere with your kidney function and health, such as:

• kidney trauma;
• severe dehydration;
• certain chronic and acute diseases;
• certain medications;
• toxic exposure to environmental pollutants.

In a study, consuming foods high in this substance has been shown to protect against kidney damage caused by a well-known nephrotoxic drug.

Cancer

It has been connected to a reduction in prostate, pancreatic, colorectal, and skin cancers.

The American Cancer Society reports a human study in which the combination of curcumin and quercetin supplements decreases the size and quantity of rectal tumors.

Here Is A List of Top 8 Foods With The Highest content Of Quercetin:

#1 Capers

The unique flavor of capers makes them a very desirable ingredient in the Mediterranean basin. They range in size from as small as a peppercorn to as large as a green olive.

The intake of capers increases sodium excretion, leading to lowered blood pressure, according to a 2017 study that was done at the American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

High in flavonoid compounds, capers are the highest source of quercetin.

Capers contain 180 mg of quercetin per 100g.

#2 Lovage Leaves

Lovage, a member of the parsley family, is a widely-used herb in parts of Europe and southwest Asia. The underground stem and root are used to make medicine.

Lovage leaves contain 170 mg of quercetin per 100g.

#3 Red Onions

Red onions are one of the best natural sources of this flavonoid.

Red onions have long been known to have many health benefits including preventing heart disease, cancer, and common colds and coughs.

Red onions contain 19.93 mg of quercetin per 100g.

#4 Berries

Elderberries, of all the berries, are very rich in quercetin, but blueberries, and all other berries, also contain high amounts of quercetin.

Berries are also a great source of antioxidants, such as resveratrol, ellagic acid, and anthocyanins.

#5 Kale

One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of dietary fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content.

Kale contains 7,71 mg of quercetin per 100g.

#6 Apples

The phytochemical composition of apples varies greatly between different varieties of apples.

A large red apple, for example, contains about 10 mg.

Organic apples are the best since the quercetin is in the peel.

#7 Spinach

Spinach eases constipation and protects the mucous lining of the stomach so that you stay free of ulcers.

It also flushes out toxins from the colon.

Spinach contains 4,86 mg of quercetin per 100g.

#8 Red Grapes

Red grapes have a number of health benefits, mainly because they are rich in flavonoids.

They are also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, carotenes, B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, pyridoxine, and thiamine.

Red grapes contain 3,54 mg of quercetin per 100 g.

#9 Raw Black Plums

They contain 12.5 milligrams of quercetin per serving.

Plums are relatives of the nectarine, peach, and almond and belong to the Prunus genus of plants.

In addition to their high content of this antioxidant, they contain no saturated fats and are low in calories (46 calories per 100 g).

Side Effects Of Quercetin

Consuming this supplement inhibits an important enzyme (CYP3A4) involved in the metabolism of many frequent medications, which can alter blood levels and the effects of drugs.

Very high doses may damage the kidneys. You should take periodic breaks from taking the supplement.

Numerous studies of quercetin in rodents have shown no evidence of hepatic carcinogenic potential.

Furthermore, it is contraindicated in combination with some antibiotics; it may interact with fluoroquinolones (broad-spectrum antibiotics), as the flavonoid competitively binds to bacterial DNA gyrase.

Conclusion

If you eat lots of vegetables and fruits, you’ll get a fair amount of quercetin. It is a healthier option so you can forget about supplements.

References

http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-1015003
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21625024
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15053821