Eli5: what are phytochemicals

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Can you give me a simple explanation of what phytochemicals are. How are they different to phytonutrients?

In: Biology

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

You can understand how the terms interact like this:

All phytonutrients are phytochemicals, but not all phytochemicals are phytonutrients.

This is the case because “phytochemical” refers to any chemical that has its origin in a plant (phyto- being the Greek word for plant), and all nutrients are chemical compounds.

You can also find things like certain acid, certain antifungal compounds, and flavors in the category of “phytochemical.”

Anonymous 0 Comments

Simplest explanation: phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, and can be found in many plant forms including fruits and vegetables. You can read more about it here: [https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fill-up-on-phytochemicals](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fill-up-on-phytochemicals)