Why the phytochemicals in plants may be better than the antioxidants | Dr. Mark Mattson скачать в хорошем качестве

Why the phytochemicals in plants may be better than the antioxidants | Dr. Mark Mattson

Plants produce bitter-tasting pesticide compounds to deter insects and animals from eating them. However, humans have evolved mechanisms to detoxify these compounds, allowing us to consume a wider variety of plants for nutrition. For example, sulforaphane (produced by broccoli, kale, and other cruciferous plants) and curcumin (found in turmeric) are slightly toxic compounds that activate our antioxidant defenses. Many of the cellular pathways involved in sulforaphane and curcumin detoxification are shared with exercise and fasting, suggesting a shared health benefit to these seemingly unrelated hormetic stressors. As discussed in Dr. Mattson’s review published in Scientific American, the benefit of vegetables is not to flood cells with antioxidants and eliminate all free radicals (which are important for normal cell signaling), but rather for phytochemicals to trigger the cell's own adaptive responses. In this clip, Dr. Mark Mattson discusses our fascinating coevolution with plants and why mildly toxic phytochemicals promote longevity better than antioxidants. Watch the full episode here:    • Dr. Mark Mattson on the Benefits of Stress...   Original episode posted Oct 7, 2021.