You rely on your immune system for 24/7 protection… now more than ever before! But did you know that your immune system also relies on YOU for support?
It’s true…
Your immune system can’t keep you safe from everything going around unless you provide the proper support it needs to function at its best.
You want your immune system to be flexible… resilient… strong… and balanced.
You don’t want it to sleep on the job or go into hyper-reactive mode.
Under ideal conditions, your immune system is able to pay attention and respond the right way whenever something threatens to take you down.
Luckily, if you know where to look, nature supplies all the ingredients you need to nourish and support your best immune system.
Polyphenols are a great example of one of the many naturally occurring, plant-based immune supporters that has the amazing ability to help you stay fit and healthy (and your gut loves them too)!
Read on to find out what makes Polyphenols an indispensable part of your abundant wellness and vitality regimen.
Quick Answer: Polyphenols are naturally occurring, plant-based compounds (more than 8,000 of them) found in fruits, vegetables, tea, dark chocolate, and herbs. They support a healthy immune system in five key ways: activating immune cells, providing antioxidant protection against free radicals, feeding beneficial gut bacteria, promoting a healthy inflammatory response, and offering antimicrobial activity. Because so much of immune health is rooted in the gut, the way polyphenols nourish your gut microbiome is a big part of their benefit. Pomegranate and echinacea are especially polyphenol-rich. Eating a colorful, plant-forward diet is the simplest way to take in more polyphenols every day.
What Are Polyphenols?
Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plants that give them their rich color and help them defend themselves. There are more than 8,000 types, and they are found in nearly all plant foods, where they offer broad support for your immune system.
You may have been hearing a lot about polyphenols lately… and for good reason. (They’re so hot right now!)
These healing, bioactive plant compounds – and there are more than 8,000 of them! – deliver amazing benefits to your immune system and help keep it in top shape.
Virtually all plant foods contain polyphenols, though every plant contains a different mix and/or amount. Known as “phytochemicals” (compounds that help plants thwart competitors, predators, or pathogens), it’s polyphenols that give plants their rich color.
Some polyphenols you may be familiar with include:
- Resveratrol
- Quercetin
- Curcumin
- Anthocyanins
- Catcechins
- Lignans
Polyphenols are found abundantly in foods such as fruits and vegetables. Well-known sources of polyphenols include red wine, green tea, dark chocolate, and pomegranates… And polyphenols are also found in healing herbs like echinacea.
But no matter where you find them, all polyphenols offer solid immune system support.
What Are the 5 Immune-Boosting Benefits of Polyphenols?
Polyphenols support immunity in five main ways: they activate key immune cells, supply antioxidant protection against free radicals, increase beneficial gut bacteria, promote a healthy inflammatory response, and provide antimicrobial activity. Together these help your immune system stay balanced and resilient.
When you consume plants with polyphenols, you reap all the immune-supporting benefits. Polyphenols deliver a wealth of health advantages, but among the most important are the five ways they increase your resilience:
- Polyphenols activate the key immune cells necessary to help your body fight off attacks
- Polyphenols provide antioxidant protection that neutralize free radicals and minimize oxidative stress
- Polyphenols increase populations of beneficial gut bacteria to optimizeimmune response and function
- Polyphenols promote healthy inflammatory responses
- Polyphenols deliver strong antimicrobial activity against infectious pathogens.
Polyphenols supply the support your immune system needs to keep you healthy and strong no matter what’s going around.
No wonder these powerful plant compounds have been revered by healers for thousands of years!
Why Are Pomegranate Polyphenols So Powerful?
Pomegranates are exceptionally rich in polyphenols, including punicalagins that are not found in any other food. These compounds supply strong antioxidant protection and help support a balanced gut microbiome and a healthy inflammatory response.
Pomegranates are especially rich in polyphenols, including a special polyphenol type – “punicalagins” – that can’t be found anywhere else. Though many folks associate pomegranates with heart health – and rightly so – the polyphenols specific to this brilliant ruby-colored fruit can do so much more.
Pomegranates polyphenols supply superior antioxidant protection to prevent cell damage caused by oxidative stress that can interfere with healthy immune function. Highly bioactive pomegranate polyphenols have also been shown in scientific studies to:
- Significantly increase populations of beneficial probiotic bacteria in the gut microbiome
- Reduce pathogenic gut bacteria including diff and E. coli
- Support a healthy inflammatory response
- Exhibit strong antibacterial and antiviral properties
It’s no wonder pomegranates rank among the healthiest foods on earth.
How Does Echinacea Support Your Immune System?
Echinacea is one of the most polyphenol-rich immune-support herbs, supplying compounds like caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. Studies suggest it helps activate immune cells, supports a healthy inflammatory response, and helps you stay well, especially as the seasons change.
When it comes to immune-boosting herbs, echinacea takes the prize. Packed with polyphenols such as caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, echinacea supports immune system function in several important ways.
Scientific studies show that echinacea:
- Activates some of your most important immune cells
- Neutralizes attacking threats
- Prevents bad guys from entering the body and stops their replication (making copies of themselves)
- Speeds up threat clearance and helps you get back on your feet
- Stimulates positive immune responses while calming potential immune overreactions
- Helps you stay healthy, especially when the seasons change
- Supports a healthy inflammatory response
With all of the happy-body benefits above, you can see why millions of people rely on echinacea to keep them healthy year round!
Frequently Asked Questions About Polyphenols and Immunity
What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plants that give them color and help them defend against threats. There are more than 8,000 types, including resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, and anthocyanins, found across fruits, vegetables, tea, and herbs.
What foods are highest in polyphenols?
Polyphenols are abundant in colorful plant foods such as berries, pomegranates, dark chocolate, green tea, red wine, and many herbs like echinacea. A varied, plant-forward diet is the easiest way to take in a wide range of them.
How do polyphenols support the immune system?
Polyphenols help activate immune cells, neutralize free radicals through antioxidant activity, feed beneficial gut bacteria, promote a healthy inflammatory response, and provide antimicrobial activity. Because much of the immune system lives in the gut, their effect on gut bacteria is especially meaningful.
Are pomegranate and echinacea good sources of polyphenols?
Yes. Pomegranates contain unique polyphenols called punicalagins, and echinacea is rich in caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. Both are well known for supporting immune health.
Can I get enough polyphenols from food?
Eating a colorful, plant-rich diet supplies polyphenols every day. Some people also choose a concentrated polyphenol supplement to add consistent, targeted support.
Just Thrive Immune Health Products
How To Easily Harness the Power of Polyphenols
A strong and resilient immune system is always in season. That’s why Just Thrive developed Immunity Plus – our polyphenol-powered immune support formula.
It includes 5 targeted, clinically proven ingredients that help keep your immune system “at-the-ready”:
- Pomanox® Pomegranate Extract, which contains 300% more polyphenols than red wine or green tea
- Echinacea, the world’s most widely recognized immune-supportive herb
- Selenium, a powerful antioxidant that encourages a healthy immune response and regulates oxidative stress
- Zinc, which is crucial for proper immune system function and response
- Epicor®, shown in 8 human clinical trials to support your best digestive function and a immune health
Take charge of your wellness with Just Thrive Immunity Plus
