If you’re looking to improve your diet and make sure your body benefits from holistic health, some of the best compounds to target are flavonoids.
Quercetin is a key flavonoid that may provide wide-ranging benefits if your diet includes enough of it., quercetin is also known to interact with certain medications. So let’s take a moment to go through the pros and cons so you know if quercetin is something you should add to your diet or avoid.
What is Quercetin?
Quercetin is a kind of flavonoid, which are compound commonly found in plants that we eat like fruits and vegetables. They’re also a kind of phytonutrient: a class of plant-based compounds that can provide a variety of health benefits when ingested in appropriate amounts.
Quercetin is so important because our bodies can’t make it on their own. Instead, we need to absorb this compound from the fruits and vegetables we eat.
Fortunately, you can find quercetin in some of the tastiest foods, including:
- Berries
- Cherries
- Apples
- Oranges
- Onions
- Citrus fruits
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Tomatoes
You can also find quercetin in many beverages, like black tea, and in smoothies made with the above ingredients.
Benefits of Quercetin
Because quercetin is so common in many of our favorite foods and drinks, you’ve probably benefited from some of its effects already without even noticing it. Here are some of the main benefits that quercetin provides to your body.
1. Reduced Inflammation
Quercetin may be able to help reduce inflammation throughout your body, according to several studies. Inflammation is a natural bodily response to injuries and stress and can sometimes help your body’s healing process. But, chronic inflammation can hurt more than it helps. Quercetin alleviates chronic or excessive inflammation and can prevent damage to your body after being injured.
2. Lower Risk of Cancer
Furthermore, quercetin may help to lower the risk of cancer in certain people. There’s research showing that diets high in certain flavonoids, including quercetin, can lower the risk of certain cancers, such as prostate cancer.
This is likely due to the overall nutritious benefits that quercetin provides to your body. Since cancer comes about due to cellular mutations, healthier cells mean a lower likelihood of cancer across the board.
3. Allergy Symptom Relief
In addition to its other benefits, quercetin might also operate as an effective natural antihistamine.
Antihistamines are compounds that can prevent histamine from being released from your cells, which triggers allergic responses and reactions. So quercetin is a type of light anti-allergen, though it shouldn’t be relied upon to treat an allergic reaction by itself.
Quercetin’s anti-allergy properties specifically extend to conditions like asthma and bronchitis.
4. Neurological Disorder Defense
The link between quercetin and faster neurological response times is unknown. But there is evidence that diets high in flavonoids are correlated with higher mental ability in old age, plus a lower likelihood of developing certain neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
However, this may also be due to the fact that quercetin is found in healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. So, quercetin may not be fully responsible for neurological disorder defense, but it might be an indirect effect you benefit from by eating quercetin-rich foods.
5. Infection Defense
Quercetin is known to have antibacterial properties. Therefore, it can help fight off certain types of harmful bacteria, especially bacteria that sit on the skin or in the respiratory and digestive systems.
As a type of flavonoid, quercetin can also support your body in fighting off certain viruses.
6. Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
Perhaps the biggest potential benefit of quercetin is its ability to lower the risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of all Americans, and it’s closely linked with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It’s believed that quercetin can improve the health of your blood vessels, as well, and the healthier your blood vessels are, the easier it is for blood to flow through your body to do its job.
Additionally, quercetin may support lowering your blood pressure when absorbed in adequate amounts. Some research shows that long-term absorption of quercetin can result in lower cholesterol as well.
Quercetin Interactions
While quercetin can certainly provide some significant benefits, it does interact with certain drugs and medications such as antibiotics, cyclosporin, and liver medications that may be prescribed by your doctor. You should, therefore, consult with your medical professional about these medications and make sure that your diet won’t cause any negative side effects if it contains a lot of quercetin.
Summary
All in all, quercetin is a healthy compound that we could all do well to eat more of. However, make sure that you only eat more berries and vegetables containing quercetin after getting the go-ahead from your doctor, who can make sure that quercetin won’t interact with any medications that may be vital to your health.
To get in an easy dose of quercetin, consider adding our Livingood Daily High-dose Vitamin C that delivers 2600mg of non-corn sourced ascorbic acid along with 100 mg of quercetin and bioflavonoids in one.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5214562/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-294/quercetin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5214562/
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Livingood
Dr. Livingood, yes that is his real name, is the Founder of drlivingood.com natural health site and also the founder of Livingood Daily. He has authored two Amazon #1 Best Selling Books Livingood Daily and Make Food Simple. In 2007 after nearly losing his father to health conditions, Dr. Livingood was prompted to find a health care system to save his father’s life. Where medicine failed Dr. Livingood discovered solutions that got his father off 15 medications and overcame major heart and autoimmune conditions. As a Doctor of Natural Medicine and DC he now serves thousands of people in Morrisville, NC, and millions through his online and media presence. Dr. Livingood, his wife Jessica, and three kids spend their lives leading people nationally and locally in the hopes that others can experience real health.
