List of phytochemicals and foods they are prominent in - Definition and Overview

The following is a list of phytochemicals present in commonly consumed foods.

Phenolic compounds

• monophenols
  • apiole – dill, parsley.
  • carnosol – rosemary.
  • carvacol – oregano, thyme.
  • rosemarinol – rosemary.
• flavonoids (polyphenols) – red, blue, purple pigments.
  • flavonols
    • quercetin – garlic, onions, tea, wine, apples, cranberries, buckwheat, beans.
    • gingerol – ginger.
    • kaempferol – strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, peas, brassicates, chives.
    • resveratrol – grape skins and seeds, wine, nuts, peanuts.
    • rutin – citrus fruits, buckwheat, parsley, tomato, apricot, rhubarb, tea.
  • flavanones
    • hesperidin – citrus fruits.
    • silybin – milk thistle.
  • flavones
    • apigenin – chamomile, celery, parsley.
  • flavan-3-ols
    • catechins – white tea, green tea, black tea, grapes, wine, apple juice, cocoa, lentils, black-eyed peas.
  • anthocyanins (flavonals) – red wine, many red, purple or blue fruits and vegetables.
    • pelargonidin – bilberry, raspberry, strawberry.
    • peonidin – bilberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach.
    • cyanidin – red apple & pear, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach, plum, hawthorn, loganberry, cocoa.
    • delphinidin – bilberry, blueberry.
    • malvidin – bilberry, blueberry.
  • isoflavones (phytoestrogens)
    • daidzein (formononetin) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, other legumes.
    • genistein (biochanin A) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, other legumes.
    • glycitein – soy.
  • dihydroflavonols
  • chalcones
  • coumestans (phytoestrogens)
    • coumestrol – red clover, alfalfa sprouts, soy, peas, brussels sprouts.
• phenolic acids
  • ellagic acid – walnuts, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, guava, grapes.
  • gallic acid – tea, mango, strawberries, rhubarb, soy.
  • salicylic acid – peppermint, licorice, peanut, wheat.
  • tannic acid – nettles, tea, berries.
  • vanillin – vanilla beans, cloves.
  • capsaicin - chilli peppers.
  • curcumin – turmeric, mustard. (Oxidizes to vanillin.)
• hydroxycinnamic acids
  • caffeic acid – burdock, hawthorn, artichoke, pear, basil, thyme, oregano, apple.
  • chlorogenic acid – echinacea, strawberries, pineapple, coffee, sunflower, blueberries.
  • cinnamic acid – aloe.
  • ferulic acid – oats, rice, artichoke, orange, pineapple, apple, peanut.
  • coumarin – citrus fruits, maize.
• lignans (phytoestrogens) – flax seeds and flour, whole grains, berries.
  • silymarin – artichokes, milk thistle.
  • matairesinol – flax seed, sesame seed, rye bran and meal, oat bran, poppy seed, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli.
  • secoisolariciresinol – flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, zucchini, blackcurrant, carrots.

Terpenes (isoprenoids)

• carotenoids (tetraterpenoids)
  • carotenes - orange pigments
    • alpha carotene – to vitamin A, in carrots, pumpkins, maize, tangerine, orange.
    • beta carotene – to vitamin A, in dark, leafy greens and red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.
    • gamma carotene
    • delta carotene
    • lycopene – tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, guava, apricots, carrots.
    • neurosporene
    • phytofluene – star fruit, sweet potato, orange.
    • phytoene – sweet potato, orange.
  • xanthophylls - yellow pigments
    • cantaxanthin – paprika.
    • cryptoxanthin – mango, tangerine, orange, papaya, peaches, avocado, pea, grapefruit, kiwi.
    • zeaxanthin – spinach, kale, turnip greens, maize, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, oranges.
    • astaxanthin
    • lutein – spinach, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, mango, papaya, oranges, kiwi, peaches, squash, legumes, brassicates, prunes, sweet potatoes, honeydew melon, rhubarb, plum, avocado, pear.

• monoterpenes
  • limonene – oils of citrus, cherries, spearmint, dill, garlic, celery, maize, rosemary, ginger, basil.
  • perillyl alcohol – citrus oils, caraway, mints.
• saponins – soybeans, beans, other legumes, maize, alfalfa.
• lipids
  • phytosterols – almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, whole wheat, maize, soybeans, many vegetable oils.
    • campesterol - buckwheat.
    • beta sitosterol – rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, fennel, peanuts, soybeans, hawthorn, basil, buckwheat.
    • gamma sitosterol
    • stigmasterol – buckwheat.
  • tocopherols (vitamin E)
  • omega-3,6,9 fatty acids – dark-green leafy vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts.
    • gamma-linolenic acid – primrose, borage, blackcurrant.

Organosulfides

• dithiolthiones (isothiocyanates)
  • sulphoraphane – brassicates.
• indoles (glucosinolates)
  • indole-3-carbinol – cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, mustard greens.
• thiosulphonates (allium compounds)
  • allyl methyl trisulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.
  • diallyl sulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.

Protein

• protease inhibitors – soy, seeds, legumes, potatoes, eggs, cereals.

Other organic acids

• oxalic acid – orange, spinach, rhubarb, tea and coffee, banana, ginger, almond, sweet potato, bell pepper.
• phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate) – cereals, nuts, sesame seeds, soybeans, wheat, pumpkin, beans, almonds.
• tartaric acid – apricots, apples, sunflower, avocado, grapes.

Disclaimer: This list is at present incomplete and may contain errors. It is the compilation of many months of research but as I am no biochemist some of the categorizations may be inaccurate.