Polyphenols and where to find them

Polyphenols are the colorful plant compounds that give berries their deep hues and dark chocolate its slight bitterness. Research links polyphenol-rich diets with heart health and healthy aging, and suggests many of them act as food for your beneficial gut bacteria.

Some of the best sources:

• Berries, especially blueberries and blackberries
• Cacao and dark chocolate (70% or higher)
• Green tea and coffee
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red onions, artichokes and spinach
• Beans, especially black beans
• Herbs and spices like cloves, oregano and peppermint

I tell my clients to eat the rainbow, because different colors bring different polyphenols.

Try this: add one deeply colored food to each meal today, like berries at breakfast or a drizzle of olive oil at dinner.