WWW
Index
With the database online, one can ask for a list of all compounds reported from any of some 2,000 species inluding most of the more important foods, spices, herbs and medicinal plants.
Here for example, is what one would find on pomegranate, so far
the richest plant source of estrone.
Punica Granatum L.
"POMEGRANATE"
ALKALOIDS 1,000-7,000 RT BK HHB WOI
ARACHIDIC-ACID SD HHB
ASCORBIC-ACID 40-636 FR CRC USA
ASH 5,000-35,858 FR USA
ASIATIC-ACID FL HHB
BETULIC-ACID BK LF WOI
BORIC-ACID 50 FR HHB
BREVIFOLIN LF PC36:963
BREVIFOLIN-CARBOXYLIC-ACID LF PC36:963
CALCIUM 30-650 FR CRC USA
CALCIUM-OXALATE 40,000 RIND FR WOI
CARBOHYDRATES 162,000-927,000 FR CRC USA
CAROTENE 0-2 FR CRC WOI
CASUARIIN BK RAA
CASUARININ BK RAA
CHLORINE 20 FR WOI
CASUARIIN PL 411/
CASUARININ PL 411/
CEREBROSIDE SD RAA
CHLOROGENIC-ACID FR RAA
CITRIC-ACID 8,100-12,300 FR JU WOI
COPPER 2 FR WOI
CORILAGIN LF RAA
P-COUMARINIC-ACID FR RAA
CYANIDIN-3-GLUCOSIDE FR RAA
CYANIDIN-3,5-DIGLUCOSIDE FR RAA
DELPHINIDIN-3,5-DIGLUCOSIDE PC RAA
DELPHINIDIN-3-GLUCOSIDE FR RAA
ELAIDIC-ACID 5,500 PC RAA
ELLAGIC-ACID BK CCO
ELLAGIC-ACID LF PC36:963
ELLAGITANNIN BK 411/
ESTRA DIOL SD RAA
ESTRONE 17 SD JBH WOI
FAT 50,000-200,000 SD HHB
FAT 1,000-38,000 FR CRC USA WOI
FIBER 2,000-232,000 FR CRC USA WOI
FIBER 224,000 SD WOI
FLAVOGALLOL PC RAA
FRIEDELIN BK WOI
FRUCTOSE FR WOI
GALLIC-ACID 900-40,000 PC RAA WOI
2-O-GALLOYLPUNICALIN LF RAA
GLUCOSE FR WOI
GRANATIN-A PC RAA
GRANATIN-B PC RAA
GRANATINS 15,000 LF RAA
GUMS 32,000 RIND FR WOI
3,6-(R)-HEXAHYDROXYDIPHENOYL-(ALPHA,BETA)-1C-4-GLUCOPYRANOSE LF PC36:963
INULIN 10,000 RIND FR WOI
IRON 3-16 FR USA
ISOPELLETIERINE BK WOI
ISOQUERCETRIN PC RAA
LINOLEIC-ACID SD HHB
MAGNESIUM 120 FR WOI
MALIC-ACID FR WOI
MALVIDIN FR RAA
MALTOSE FR WOI
MALVIDIN-PENTOSE-GLYCOSIDE FR JU WOI
MANNITOL 18,000 PC WOI
D-MANNITOL SD LF ST RT BK
MASLINIC-ACID FL HHB
METHYL-ISOPELLETIERINE BK JBH
METHYL-PELLETIERINE BK WOI
MUCILAGE 6,000-340,000 RIND HHB WOI
NEOCHLOROGENIC-ACID FR RAA
NIACIN 3-50 FR CRC USA
OLEIC-ACID SD HHB
OXALIC-ACID 140 FR USA
PALMITIC-ACID SD HHB
PANTOTHENIC-ACID 6-31 FR USA
PECTIN 20,000-40,000 PC RAA
PECTIN 2,700 FR WOI
PELARGONIDIN-3,5-DIGLUCOSIDE FL WOI
PELARGONIDIN-3-GLUCOSIDE SD RAA
PELLETIERINE BK WOI
(-)-PELLETIERINE PL JBH
1,2,3,4,6-PENTA-O-GALLOYL-BETA-D-GLUCOSE LF RAA
3,4,8,9,10-PENTAHYDROXYDIBENZO(B,D)-PYRAN-6-ONE LF PC36:963
PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE SD RAA
PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL SD RAA
PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE SD RAA
PHOSPHORUS 80-3,182 FR CRC USA WOI
PHYTOSTEROLS 170-892 FR USA
POLYPHENOLS 2,200-10,500 FR RAA
POTASSIUM 1,330-18,950 FR CRC USA WOI
2-(2-PROPENYL)-DELTA'-PIPERIDEINE LF WOI
PROTEIN 7,700-73,000 FR CRC USA
PROTEIN 25,000 SD CRC
PROTOCATECHUIC-ACID FR RAA
PSEUDOPELLETIERINE BK WOI JBH
PUNICACORTEINS BK RAA
PUNICAFOLIN LF PC36:963
PUNICALAGIN PC CCO
PUNICALIN PC CCO
PUNICIC-ACID 35,000-140,000 SD JBH WOI
PUNIGLUCONIN BK RAA
RESINS 45,000 PC RAA WOI
RIBOFLAVIN 0-4 FR CRC USA
SALICYLATES 0.7-3.5 FR JAD85:9501
BETA-SITOSTEROL BK HHB
BETA-SITOSTEROL 16-800 FR GAS
SODIUM 9-350 FR CRC USA WOI
SORBITOL HHB
STARCH 0 SD HHB
STEARIC-ACID SD HHB
STRICTININ LF RAA
STYPTIC-ACID FL RAA
SULFUR 120 FR WOI
TANNIN 1,700 FR JU WOI
TANNIN 104,000-336,000 PC RAA WOI
TANNIN 100,000-250,000 ST BK WOI
TANNIN 280,000 RT BK WOI
TANNIN 110,000 LF WOI
1,2,4,6-TETRA-O-GALLOYL-BETA-D-GLUCOSE LF RAA
THIAMIN 0-4 FR CRC USA
CIS-9,TRANS-11,CIS-13-TRIENE-ACID SD HHB
1,2,6-TRI-O-GALLOYL-BETA-4C-1-GLUCOPYRANOSE LF PC36:963
1,4,6-TRI-O-GALLOYL-BETA-4C-1-GLUCOPYRANOSE LF PC36:963
URSOLIC-ACID LF FR WOI
VIT-B-6 1-5 FR USA
WATER 350,000 SD WOI
WATER 780,000-823,220 FR USA WOI
WAX 8,000 PC WOI
One can also ask in what phytochemicals a given herb exceeds the
norm (as defined by you, the user). In this so-called High
Concentration Chemicals Query, one can display a list of the
chemicals in a particular plant with concentrations greater than a
selected number of standard deviations above the mean for concentration
among all plants in the database. One can request also the biological
activities of these high concentration chemicals and the activitied will be
listed subsequently. To enter the query, I typed the generic name
Punica, the species epithet, granatum, and plant part,
various. Then I clicked on the Submit button. Seeking real super
chemicals I first clicked on 2 Standard Deviations; nothing came out for
fruit or seed. Clicking on 1 Standard deviation I got only estrone for the
seed. Relaxing my standards, I clicked on 0.5 Standard deviations and got
interesting details for the fruit, confirming very well what Nagle and
Yeykal had suggested. Here's part of the printout.
High Concentration Chemicals in the Fruit of
Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae) - [Pomegranate]
(chemical concentrations 0.5 standard deviation(s) above the mean)
BORIC-ACID 50 ppm DUKE1992A
CARBOHYDRATES 162,000 - 927,000 ppm DUKE1992A
ESTRONE 17 ppm DUKE1992A
FIBER 2,000 - 232,000 ppm DUKE1992A
PANTOTHENIC-ACID 6 - 31 ppm DUKE1992A
PHOSPHORUS 80 - 3,182 ppm DUKE1992A
POTASSIUM 1,330 - 18,950 ppm DUKE1992A
WATER 780,000 - 823,220 ppm DUKE1992A
Phytochemeco Database - USDA - ARS - NGRL
Stephen M. Beckstrom-Sternberg and James A. Duke
CAVEAT: The USDA does not recommend self diagnosis or self medication.
Please see the disclaimer for more information.
One can also query to see which botanicals are reportedly highest in
any one of more than 2000 phytochemicals. Depending how the query is
structured, the database will list out all quantified entries for a
given chemical. The following Nutritional Highs tabulations results
from several such queries over the last couple of years.
James A. Duke
My database is available on internet at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/
It is constantly being revised. At the University of Maryland site,
we have twenty computers available for medicinal workshops where tweny
participants can work interactively with the workshop. In such workshops
we can walk users through the various routines in the database, routines
that could lead practitioners to the IC-50s for biological activie
compounds, LD-50s of poisonous chemicals, the best sources of a newly
emerging medicinal phytochemical. Should your associates be attending
symposia in the Greater Washington, DC/Baltimore/College Park, Maryland,
we could arrange for a 1-2 hour hands-on workshop for up groups
of 10 to 20 scientists or practitioners.
Remember that the database is constantly being updated as new data
come in, and revisions are made. Notably, some of our early folic acid
entries were three orders of magnitude high, because our sources for the
data had used mg where they intended ug. Those mistakes suggested
erroneously that a few grams e.g. of lentils could prevent spina bifida.
The same error was made by one scientist who meant grams when he said
milligrams when discussing GABA. His error led us to believe initially
that an ounce or two of tomato juice might contain enough GABA to
alleviate or obviate hypertension. He said that clinical hypertension
is treated by oral administration of GABA, at a dose of "1.5-4.0 mg/day"
for over a week, and in most cases hypotensive and diuretic effects will
ensue, together with the disappearance of such symptoms as headache,
tinnitus, stiff shoulders and insomnia, which often accompany hypertension.
He should have said 1.5-4 g/day, not 1.5-4.0 mg/day. A new health
newletter recently talked of 3 g borons being useful in osteoporosis,
when the MD author of the newsletter would surely have intended 3 mg. He
ran a correction after I contacted his office and pointed out the rather
dangerous 3-magnitude error. I used to site hot pepper and cayenne as
our best food sources of salicylates. But recent new analyses lowered the
salicylate values two orders of magnitude. And I used to talk about
chocolate as a jungle source of antiasthmatic theophyline, citing my
sources accurately. A new source suggested that the theophylline in the
literature was in error, and that other xanthines were probably mistaken
for theophyline.
I have not listed below the biological activities but these too are
all catalogued in the ever growing database.
ALANINE: Highs for alanine on a dry weight basis
(ZMB) in the Father Nature's Farmacy database include watercress (2.7%),
followed by jute and lambsquarter at 2.1%, bean sprouts, carob and soy at
1.9, chinese cabbage at 1.8, pigweed and spinach at 1.7, chives at 1.6,
sesame and watermelon seed at 1.5%, butternut, cauliflower, chaya, lupine
and swamp cabbage at 1.4%, adzuki bean, broccoli, lentil, poppyseed, and
purslane at 1.3%, rounded on a dry weight basis.
ALUMINUM: Those convinced that aluminum might
contribute to Alzheimer's disease might be alarmed by the concentrations
of aluminum published in my CRC Handbook of Phytochemical Constitutents,
based mostly on data from the USGS. Highest (and near lowest, depending on
where grown) was cucumber, at up to 21,000 ppms; then coneflower at 12,900,
butter bean at 3,000, chickweed at 1,960, pennyroyal at 1,850, tomato at
1,700, butcher's broom at 1,300, bean, carrot and grape at around 1,000,
thyme around 900, cowpea ca 850, and cohosh and sassafras at around 760
ppms, on a calculated dry weight basis.
ANTHOCYANINS: In a review of anthocyanins in fruits,
Mazza and Miati (1993) report 300-700 mg/100 g fresh fruit for
bilberries, 80-325 for blackberries, 725-1050 in black chokeberry
(Aronia melanocarpa) 160 in boysenberries, 250 in black currants,
7-495 for blueberries, 350-450 in cherries, 75-80 for cranberries, 50-400
in hawthorn 30-330 in lingonberry, 1,500 in mountain ash, 10-20 in red
currants, 30 to 750 for red grapes 20-60 in red raspberries, 25-180 in
saskatoon berry (Amalanchier alnifolia), 140-380 in sea
buckthorn 115-225 in whortleberries, (Mazza & Miniati, 1993). Boik (1995)
notes that some anthocyanins, as anticoagulants, might prevent blood
clots, even strokes. He reports also that they may protect collagen from
degradation by inducing cross-linking of collagen fibers, by promoting
collagen synthesis, and by preventing enzymatic cleavage of collagen.
Anthocyanins inhibit collagenase. By inhibiting collagenase activity,
anthocyanins may inhibit invasions by cancer cells. (However, like vitamin
C, they may stimulate collagen synthesis and angiogenesis; this latter
conflicts with what we read elsewhere, that they might prevent diabetic
retinopathy, which at least in some circumstances is caused by new blood
vessels proliferation. Boik suggests for arthritis and capillary
permeability, doses of 20 to 40 mg pure anthocyanins thrice daily, or 1
20 mg/day. Remeber that 100 g usually calculates to about half a cup.
Consult the list above to see where you can get your daily 120 mg
anthocyanins. (Boik, 1995; Mazza & Miniati, 1993)
ARGININE: Highs for arginine on a dry weight basis
(ZMB) in the Father Nature's Farmacy database include sunflower highest at
8.2%, followed by carob at 5.5, butternut at 5.0, watermelon seed at 4.7,
white lupine at 4.4, peanut at 3.7, chaya and sesame at 3.5, soy at 3.1,
watercress at 3.0, fenugreek, mustard, and Indian fig at 2.7%, almond and
velvetbean at 2.6, bean sprouts, brazilnut and chives at 2.5%, and
broad-beans and lentils at 2.4%, on a zero-moisture basis.
ASCORBIC ACID: Citrus is by no means king of the
vitamin C mountain. On a zero-moisture basis, camu-camu (Myrciaria
dubia) is reported to be nearly 50% ascorbic acid, so incredible
that I obtained a new sample to verify the analyses. (On the summer
solstice of 1995, I got the great news: camu-camu juice, preserved in
50:50 ethanol:juice, contained 2,110 ppms ascorbic acid, fresh weight
basis. That means pure juice would have had at least 4,220 ppms ascorbic
acid, even when it left the jungle in a two-bit thermus. Assuming that the
fruit juice is 95% water, that calculates to 8% vitamin C on a dry weight
basis. Even if you take a more conservative estimate of 90% water,
camu-camu still tops 4% vitamin C on a day weight basis! Following
camu-camu is the antidiabetic anti-HIV bitter melon (to 3.6%), emblic (to
2.7), rosehip (to 2.5), bell pepper (to 2.1), cayenne (to 2.0), cashew
apple (to 1.8), pokeweed shoots (to 1.6) vine spinach (Basella)
and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) (to 1.5), guava (to 1.4) and
watercress (to 1.4%), all on calculated dry weight bases. The highest
citrus in my database is the calamansi (Citrus mitis) at 1.1%,
with even the lemon trailing far behind at 0.56%. I'm not ready to accept
the 9.4% vitamin C suggested for red bush tea by the Lawrence Review
(Aug. 1990).
ASPARTIC-ACID: Highs for aspartic-acid on a dry weight basis (ZMB) in the Father Nature's Farmacy include swamp cabbage at 8.6%, bean sprouts at 5.9, soybean at 5.0, lentil sprouts at 4.8. asparagus and jute greens at 4.6, lupine at 4.3, carob, chaya and velvetbean at 4.2, winged bean at 4.1, peanut and watercress 3.7, yambean at 3.6, lentil at 3.5,, broad bean at 3.3, butternut, cowpea, chives and yardlong bean at 3.2% on a dry weight basis.
BIOTIN: Lamentably, when my database was published in
1992, these were the only quantitative data I had for biotin which occurs
in all living plants. Soybean was highest at 750 ppm, followed by garlic
at 22 ppm, american ginseng 9, oats 1.4, coca 1, barley 0.9, chinese
ginseng 0.9, avocado 0.4, cottonseed 0.3, alfalfa 0.2, sesame and corn
0.06, faba bean 0.03, and last and lowest elderberry at 0.009 ppms, on a
dry weight basis. I believe the low numbers more than the high ones. But I
hope the soybean figure is true; if so there are strong food farmacy
implications, for dandruff, dermatitis, and seborrhea, if not baldness.
BORNEOL: Cardamom tops my data base at 8,000 ppm
(ZMB), followed by sage at 7,000, rosemary at 4,225, japanese fir at
3,775, reverchon's pennyroyal at 2,525, muticous mountain mint at 1,350,
douglas' savory at at 910, ageratum at 500, wild oregano at 250, oswego
tea at 75, and coriander at 50 ppms (on a ZMB).
BORON: Corn salad tops my data base at 350 ppm
(ZMB)(but new materials checked were not nearly so high) followed by plum
at 250, quince at 180, strawberry 160, peach 150, cabbage 145, dandelion
125, asparagus 104, fig 100, ginseng, poppyseed, and tomato 95, broccoli
and lettuce at 85 ppm, beet, cherry, currant and pear at 80, cauliflower
75, apricot 70, and black currants and radishes at 65, on a rounded
zero-moisture basis.
CALCIUM: On a dry weight basis, leaves are our best
sources of calcium, pigweed at 5.3%, lambsquarter at 3.4%, nettle at 3.3%,
broadbeans at 3.1%, blackgram fruits at 2.7%, watercress, licorice, and
marjoram at 2.4%, savory at 2.3, red clover shoots and thyme at 2.3,
chinese cabbage and basil, and celery (seed), chaya, dandelion and
purslane at 2.1%. Chicory and endive are below 2.0% on a dry weight basis.
In females over 12 years old in the US, mean calcium intakes are below 88%
of RDA. (Nickel et al, J. Nutr. 126{5}:1406. 1996).
CAMPHENE: Highs among edible plants for camphene in
FNF are sage (to 1.96% on a dry weight basis), ginger (to 0.63%)
citronella (0.09), caraway (0.09) nutmeg (0.06); fennel (0.05) and basil
(0.04% on a calculated ZMB).
CAMPHOR: The highs for camphor in my database include
some obscure plants like ho leaf (to 22%), douglas-savory (to 0.6%),
montane mountain mint (to 0.4%), spike lavender (to 0.3%), hyssop (to
0.3%), lavandin (to 0.16%), and coriander (to 0.13%)}.
BETA-CAROTENE: Purslane was by far the best source of
beta-carotene in my database, at 4,700 ppms, followed by sorrel at 1,100,
jujube at 700, barley grass, carrot, jujube, nasturtium, spinach and water
spinach at 700 ppm, gotu kola, pokeweed, roselle, and watercress at 600, bell
peppers, chives, chrysanthemum, jute, mustard greens, pigweed, swamp cabbage
and sweet potatoes at 500 ppm, on a rounded dry weight basis. Leung and
Foster (1995) report 6,300 ppms (0.63%) carotene in the roots of comfrey.
I fear this value has to be discounted. Otherwise the relatively colorless
root would be higher than anything else in my database for carotene. A
recent paper Deli, Matus, Toth (1996) showed that paprika pepper
(Capsicum annuum) can contain almost 10,000 ppms total
carotenoids when fully ripe and dry. This new paper moved paprika up to
third in my database for beta-carotene at 885 ppms.
Deli, J., Matus, Z., and Toth, G. 1996. Carotenoid composition in the
fruits of Capsicum annuum ca Szantesi Kosszarvu during ripening.
J. Agric. Food Chem. 44(3): 711-716.
CARVACROL: Highs for carvacrol in the published
database (Duke, 1992) include wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa,
(to 2.0%), thyme (1.9), winter savory (1.7), horsebalm (1.3), mother of
thyme (1.0), summer savory (0.6%), ajwan (0.3) and betel leaf,
(to 0.24% on a dry weight basis).
CARVONE: Caraway is highs for its namesake
carvone (to 4.4%), dillseed (3.8), biblical mint (3.0), cornmint (2.6),
spearmint (to 2.0%) black cumin (1.0), applemint (to 0.5.% on a dry
weight basis). Celeryseed and other umbelliferous seeds may be rich in
closely related compounds. Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) may
contain uo to 1.1% pinocarvone.
CHOLINE: As for choline itself, fruits of the
white-flowered bottle-gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, were highest in
choline ZMB, sometimes exceeding a calculated 1.6% choline. Fenugreek leaves
can exceed 1.3%, shepherd's purse 1.0%. Horehound, ginseng, cowpea,
english pea, mung bean, sponge gourd, lentil, and dong-quai are other
herbs reported to attain as much as 0.2% choline ZMB (FNF, Duke, 1992).
Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine (Zeisel et al, 1995) advise that,
in male rats, dietary choline deficiency causes fatty infiltration of
the liver, compromises renal function, and is associated with bone
abnormalities, decreased hematopoeisis, growth impairment,
hepatocarcinogenesis, hypertension and infertility. "Recommendations for
dietary choline are needed... Extra dietary choline may be advantageous
during pregnancy and lactation in rats." Prenatal choline may improve
memory in offspring rats. (Zeisel et al, 1995)
Zeisel, S. H., Mr, M. H., Zhou, Z. W. and Da Costa, K. A. 1995.
Pregnancy and lactation are associated with diminished concentrations of
choline and its metabolites in rat liver. J. Nutr. 125(12): 3049-3054.
CINEOLE: Plants containing more than 300 ppm's
cineole (as their maximum reported dry weight content) are basil (to 776),
beebalm (to 2,735), cardamom (to 56,000), cinnamon (to 800), eucalypt (to
29,750), fennel (to 300), ginger (to 5,000), hyssop (to 610), large cardamom
(to 15,000), lavender (to 3,435), lemon leaf (to 700), lemon verbena
(to 450), nutmeg (to 3,520), peppermint (to 1,390), rosemary (to 8,125),
spearmint (to 9,375), sweet annie (to 6,600), tansy (to 1,300), tarragon
(to 500), turmeric (to 720), and yarrow (to 960).
CITRAL: Highs for citral in my published database
include ginger (to 1.35%), basil (to 0.7%), East Indian lemongrass (to
0.42%), West Indian lemongrass (to 0.34%), bois-de-rose (to 0.15%), clary
sage (to 0.09%), lemon (to 0.03%0 and carrot seed (to 0.02%) on a dry
weight basis.
CITRIC-ACID: Far exceeding anything else in FNF is
the calamansi (Citrus mitis) at 28.1% citric acid on a dry weight
basis. Then there's lemon at 6% and the Amazonian maracuya (Passiflora
edulis) 4.6%, soy at 1.3, pomegranate and tangerine at , strawberry
and cacao at 0.8%, mamey at 0.6, and prickly pear and purslane at 0.5.
American ginseng has 0.3, with lime, potatoes, and citrus weighing in
close to 0.1%, on a dry weight basis.
COPPER: Food plants richest in copper in my database
include tomato at 100 ppms ZMB, cabbage at 85, filberts at 80, broccoli at
50, blackbeans and collards at 45, cucumber at 40, cashew, coconut,
pistachio, plum, rosehip and winged bean at 35, bitter melon, black cherry,
gobo, lettuce, peach, pumpkin, sorrel at 30, and artichokes, asparagus,
cacao, fennel, jicama oats, and spinach at 25 ppm on a rounded calculated
dry weight basis.
COUMARIN: Highs for coumarin in FNF (Duke, 1992b) are
tonka bean (to 3.5% ZMB), deer tongue (to 1.6%), woodruff, to 1.3%, peru
balsam seeds 0.4%, jujube leaves 0.3% and sweet clover, to 0.2% coumarin,
on a dry weight basis (ZMB). Deer's Tongue, at 1.6% coumarin is second
only to the tonka bean as a cheap source of the controversial coumarin.
CYSTINE: Leading off in FNF for cystine is white
mustard at 6,200 ppm, winged bean seed at 5,900, lambsquarter at 5,700,
sesame seed at 5,500, mustard greens at 5,400, chaya and pistachio at
5,300, bean sprouts at 5,200, butternuts, oats and lupine at 5,000,
poppyseed at 4,900 asparagus at 4,600 taro leaves at 4,500, purslane and
spinach at 4,200, and fenugreek and lentils at 4,100 ppms, on a rounded
calculated dry weight basis. Zello et al (1995) suggest a requirement of
13 mg/kg/day methinone plus cystine for adults, based on nitrogen-balance
studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too low.
EUGENOL: Highs for eugenol in my database include
cloves (to 18%), allspice (to 3.6%), bayrum leaf (to 1.9%), galangal (to
1.2%), clove leaf (to 0.9%), carrot seed (to 0.7%), shrubby basil (to
0.5%), cinnamon (to 0.35%), bayleaf (to 0.11%) and marjoram (to 0.11%)
on a dry weight basis.
FLUORINE: Can I believe the De Smet (1993) entry of 0.09% (=900 ppms) for Lycopus europaeus when my highest entries were parsley and nettle at up to 8 ppm, ZMB, dill and bitter melon closer to 5 ppm, moringa leaves, pistacio nuts and rhubarb at 4, coconut and currant at 3 and brazilnut, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, cloudberry, ginger, apple, pecan and tomato at closer to 2 ppm (dry matter basis). FLUORIDE: Anticariogenic DAS; Antiosteoporotic DAS; Antiosteosclerotic DAS; PTD=4-20 mg/day. If bugle weed really is 900 ppms fluoride, that means 100 g fresh or 10 g dry bugle would contain up to 9 mg fluorine, a potentially toxic dose.
FOLACIN: Folacin (folic acid) is not
abundant in plants, my highest reliable entries being
edible jute (Corchorus olitorus) at 32 ppm (ZMB), spinach at 27,
endive at 25, asparagus at 18, parsley at 18, okra at 10, pigweed at 10,
and cabbage at 9 ppm's, on a calculated zero moisture basis. Nine parts
per million converts to 900 micrograms (ug) per 100 g (1/2 cup), but to
convert to dry weight you need to divide by 10 if the water content was
90%. Acc to CRH7:p. 63, 1995, on a fresh weight basis, 1/2 cup blackeyed
peas will provide 45% of the RDA of 400 micrograms of folic acid, or 180
micrograms (ug); 1/2 cup lentils 180, one avocado 164 ug, 1/2 cup
sunflower seed 160, 1/2 cup pinto beans 148, 1/2 cup garbanzos 140, 1/2
cup lima beans 136, 1/2 cup spinach 132 ug, 1/2 cup lima beans 128, 1/2
cup kidney beans 116, 1/2 cup asparagus 96, 1/2 cup peanuts 88, 1 cup
orange juice 76, one cup lettuce 76, one cup escarole 72, 1/2 cup peas 52,
1/2 cup broccoli 48, and 1/2 cup brussels sprouts 48 micrograms on an as
purchased basis. I fear that Wang and Goldman (1995) may be off a
magnitude or three when they report folic acid content varying almost
ten-fold in beets, from 1.54 mg to 11.13 mg per gram dry weight (That
translates to a highly improbable 1,540-11,130 ppms.). If that were true,
a bit of beet could prevent fetal alcohol syndrome and spina bifida. I was
also surprised to read in Leung and Foster (1995) that stinging nettles
inject folic acid into the skin. I had been saying formic acid.
Wang, M. and Goldman, I. L. 1995. Genetic
Variation in Folic Acid Content of Red Beet Genotypes. Abstract. Internat.
Symp. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, U. Mass., Amherst. Aug. 27-30. 1995.
FRUCTOSE: On a dry weight
basis, dates can have over 30% fructose, chicory roots 22%, onion bulbs
16%, tamarind and turmeric 12%, orange 2.4%, hops 2.0%, and grapefruit
1.2%, on a calculated dry weight basis. There are heriditary diseases like
fructosuria and hereditary fructose intolerance. The amount we can digest
seems to be related to what other sugars, esp. glucose, are in the GI
tract. The fructose:glucose ratio is important. Fructose is believe to
cross the intestinal brush border only by facilitated diffusion with the
aid of a protein carrier molecule. Glucose crosses thu these cellular
membranes both fy facilitated diffusion and by energy-requiring active
transport. This may explain the greater incidence of fructose vs glucose
malabsoprtion. USDA figures suggest we are close to a 48:21
fructose:glucose ratio. Sorbitol makes things worse requiring fructokinase
for its metabolism. Sorbose from which sorbitol is made is a stereoisomer
of fructose. Look for more fructose intolerance as technology alters our
ratios in the future, taking us farther from our paleolithic frugivorous
ratios. (Levin, 1996).
Levin, B. 1996. Honey and fructose malabsorption. QRNM (Spr.):41-2.
GENISTEIN: I've been seeking reliable data for three
years now, but here's the best I can do for my Independence Day rundown,
on a high-low for food grade genistein sources (I'm stretching the point
by including clover flowers, rarely consumed by normal non-herbalists);
sub-clover 473 ppms, tarhui (Lupinus mutabilis) 111 ppms, peanut
54, groundnut (Apios americana) 48, soybean 46, crimson-clover
blossum 25, red clover blossum 19, fenugreek 18, montane clover 10,
fababean 6, zigzag clover 6, strawberry clover 5, mungbean 2. Note that
subclover flowers have almost ten times as much as soybean, enough that
cattle grazing the sub-clover often have estrogenic problems, even
miscarriage. And I like my peanuts even better, now that I see they have
more genistein than soybean. Any day now the following table is due for
publication.
SEED SAMPLE Genistein (ppms) Daidzein (ppms)
Psoralea corylifolia 1528.0 539.7
(Kudzu Root 316.9 949.8)
Yellow split pea 45.8 0.4
Black turtle beans 45.1 0.4
Baby lima beans 40.1 0.4
Large lima beans 34.4 0.3
Anasazi beans 29.8 6.5
Red kidney beans 29.3 2.7
Red lentils 25.0 5.2
SOYBEANS 24.1 37.6
Black eyed peas 23.3 0.3
Pinto beans 22.3 23.2
Mung beans 21.8 0.3
Azuki beans 21.2 4.6
Faba beans 19.9 5.0
Great northern beans 17.7 7.2
Anthyllis vulneraria 3.7 1.8
GERANIOL: Highs for
geraniol in my published database include horsebalm (to 2.9%), carrot (to
0.8%), skhabar (to 0.7%), merrill flowers (to 0.44%), mahapengiri (to
0.3%), mountain mint (to 0.28%), tea (to 0.25%) and east Indian lemongrass
(to 0.25%) on a dry weight basis.
GLUTAMIC-ACID: Carob tops
the heap at 13.2% on a dry weight basis, followe by lupine at 9.7, chinese
cabbage and soybean at 7.7, chives at 7.2, asparagus and peanut at 6.5,
butternut and wheat at 6.3, almond at 6.2, chaya at 5.9, pigeonpea at 5.6,
bean sprouts at 5.5, tomato at 5.4, mustard and watermelon seed at 5.3,
pistachio at 5.1, and lentils and poppyseed at 4.9%, on a rounded and
calculated Zero Moisture Basis (ZMB).
GLYCINE: Carob tops the FNF
heap at 2.5% on a dry weight basis, followed by watercress at 2.2, sesame
at 2.0, peanut and pumpkin seed at 1.9, soy at 1.8, chives, jute and
lupine at 1.7, butternut, lambsquarter, pigweed and spinach at 1.6,
beansprouts, sunflower and velvetbean at 1.5, fenugreek, Indian fig, and
white mustard at 1.4, and almond, asparagus and swamp cabbage at 1.3%, on
a rounded and calculated Zero Moisture Basis (ZMB).
HISTIDINE: In the CRC
Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents, sunflower reigns supreme at 2.0%
histidine, followed by bean sprouts at 1.3, carob and lupine at 1.2, soy
at 1.1, jute, lablab, lentils and sprouts, lima beans, pigeon pea, winged
bean at 0.9, with butternut, peanut, taro leaves, watercress, white
mustard, yardlong bean at 0.8%, on a rounded and calculated Zero Moisture
Basis (ZMB). Zello et al (1995) estimate a requirement of 8-12 mg/kg/day
histidine for nitrogen-balance adults, but they maintain that
suchestimates are too low.
IRON: In the CRC Handbook
of Phytochemical Constituents, echinacea runs a close second to dandelion
as an iron source, followed by cornsalad (0.41%), mugwort (to 0.39%),
ramie (0.35%), devil's claw (0.29%), wild gingers (0.28%), mullein (0.24),
safflower (0.22), butterbur (0.21) pigweed (0.15), thyme (0.15), tea
(0.15), cassava leaves (0.15), gobo root (0.15), and catnip (to 0.14% on a
calculated dry weight basis. Many of the high mineral values however trace
back to a single source which often proved unreliable. These high iron
values need confirmation. If the tincture took the iron from the echinacea
roots, then that could be a good idea in anemia, and may even explain some
of the reported activities of echinacea. If so, I'd include dandelion,
mugwort, and coneflower in my bitters recipes with such things as bogbeans
and gentian.
ISOLEUCINE: In the CRC
Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents, sunflower tops the chart for
isoleucine, at 4.6%, followed by blackbean sprouts at 2.0, soy at 1.9,
jute greens, lablab, lupine and taro leaves at 1.8, spinach and wheat at
1.7, carob, lambsquarter, pea velvetbean and wingedbean at 1.6, asparagus,
butterbeans and chives at 1.5%, fenugreek, greengram, lentil, lettuce,
pigweed, pumpkinseed, sesame, swamp cabbage, and tepary at 1.4% on a
rounded and calculated Zero Moisture Basis (ZMB). Zello et al (1995)
suggest a requirement of 10 mg/kg/day isoleucine for adults, based on
nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too
low.
LAURIC-ACID: In the CRC
Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents, coconut towers above the other
entries for lauric acid, attaining 36.* lauric acid on a calculated dry
weight basis, followed by uchuba (Virola) at 11.5, betel nut at
9.0, datepalm at 5.4, calendula at 1.8, macadam at 1.1, cantaloupe seed at
0.9, cashew at 0.8, ginger at 0.4, water melon seed at 0.3, and mace and
thyme at 0.2%, on a rounded and calculated Zero Moisture Basis (ZMB)
LECITHIN: Soybeans may
contain 15,000-25,000 ppm lecithin, but brazilnuts may contain as much as
100,000 ppm (10%). Even dandelion flowers contain nearly 3% on a dry
weight basis, poppyseed 2.8 %, mungbean 1.6%. According to the Chemical
Marketing Reporter (August 12, 1991), lecithin has been banned as a
weight-control drug.
LEUCINE: In the CRC
Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents, sunflower tops the charts at
3.6% leucine, followed by watercress at 3.3, blackbeans, jute and soy
at 3.2, taro leaves and winged beans at 2.7, sheat and spinach at 2.6,
velvetbean at 2.5, tepary at 2.4, and butternut, fababeans, lentil, pea,
pigweed, and sesame, at 2.3, and lablab, lambsquarter, and pumpkin seed
at 2.2%, on a calculated dry weight basis, well rounded. Zello et al
(1995) suggest a requirement of 14 mg/kg/day leucine for adults, based on
nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too
low, by ca 1/2.
LIMONENE: Best sources of
limonene, surprisingly, are not citrus , but caraway, at 3% on a dry
weight basis, celery seed at 2.5%, orange at 1%, cardamom, fennel and
tangerine at 0.9%, lime, spearmint, nutmeg, at 0.6%, and star-anise and
thyme at 0.5%, zero-moisture basis.
LINALOOL: Highs for
linalool, at least in my published database, include lignaloe (to 8.4%),
mountain mint (to 3.9%), ho leaf (to 2.3%), coriander (to 1.7%), winter
savory (to 1.4%), flexuose mountain mint (to 1.1%), oswego tea (to 0.96%)
spearmint (to 0.93%) and cardamom (to 0.25%) on a zero moisture basis.
ALPHA-LINOLENIC-ACID (ALA):
Average daily intake in the US figures at ca 1 g/day or 0.5% of energy
intake (Cunnane, 1995). I think Cunnane's table make reflect a pro-flax
bias, but I list here his higher ALA sources flax 45-60%, perilla 50-60
(see p.145, Cunnane did not cite the 60%)), beans 30-57; pumpkins 24-45;
lemons 13-42; lime 13-42; potato 10-28; orange 6-21; banana 14-20; peas
17; carrot 17; english walnut 17; lentils 16; butternut 16; canola 8-15;
soybean 5-7; barley 4-7; peanuts 3; brazilnuts 1-3; cashewnuts 1-3;
macadamianuts 1-3; pecans 1-3; pistachio nuts 1-3; brown rice 1-2; and
oats 1-2%.
GAMMA-LINOLENIC-ACID (GLA)
LYCOPENE: Good sources of
lycopene, according to NAPRALERT (courtesy of N. R. Farnsworth) and my
database include balsampear (to 231 ppm), carrot (80-140), pot marigold
(to 3,360 ppm), rosehips (43-111 ppm),. tomato (16-663 ppms), watermelon
(45-900 ppm). Confession is good for the soul. This is all the
quantitative data I found for lycopene (except for 260 ppms in seed of
Connarus macrocarpa and 0.6 ppm in Aronia melanocarpa)
in both databases as of Feb. 10, 1996, deriving about half from each
database.)
LYSINE: In the CRC Handbook
of Phytochemical Constituents, watercress and soy lead for lysine, at
2.7%, followed by blackbean sprouts and carob at 2.6, lentil sprouts at
2.4, lambsquarter and wingedbean seed at 2.3, lentil and white lupine as
2.2, spinach and velvetbean at 2.1, pea and pumpkinseed at 2.0, and
asparagus, butterbean, chinese cabbage, fababean, fenugreek, parsley, and
tepary bean at 1.9%, on a calculated and rounded dry weight basis. Zello
et al (1995) suggest a requirement of 12 mg/kg/day lysine for adults,
based on nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates
are too low, by ca 1/3.
MAGNESIUM: Purslane
{highest at nearly 2% on a dry weight basis}, greenbean 1.8%, poppyseed
1.6%, cowpea 1.4%, spinach 1.1%, snakegourd 1.0%, licorice 1.0% with
lettuce and nettle coming in at 0.9%, on a dry weight basis, were the best
dietary sources of magnesium in my database). On a fresh-weight
(as-purchased) basis licorice was outstanding at nearly 1%, with poppyseed
at 0.3%.
MANGANESE: USDA scientists
report (Nielsen, 1993) that unrefined cereals, nuts leafy vegetables, and
tea are rich in Mn; refined grains, meats and dairy products low. Tea and
cloves were highest in my database, at 1200 ppms, followed by fennelseed
at 700 ppms, buchu at 675, spinach at 485, red clover at 465, parsley and
catnip at 375, bilberry at 370, ginger at 350, cardamom at 280,cowberry at
250, lettuce at 240 and cowpea at 240 (on zero-mositure basis).
MELATONIN:
CROP MELATONIN MELATONIN
pg/g ppm (for FNF)
AVENA SATIVA 1,796.1 0.001796
ZEA MAYS 1,366.1 0.001366
ORYZA SATIVA 1,006.0 0.001006
RAPHANUS SATIVUS 657.2 0.000657
ANGELICA KEISKEI 623.9 0.000624
ZINGIBER OFFICINALE 583.7 0.000584
LYCOPERSICUM ESCULENTUM 32.0-506.0 0.000506
MUSA PARADISIACA 466.0 0.000466
CHRYSANTHEMUM CORONARIUM 416.8 0.000417
HORDEUM SATIVUM 378.1 0.000378
BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS 112.5 0.000112
LYCOPERSICUM PIMPINELLIFOLIUM 112.0 0.000112
BRASSICA OLERACEA 107.4 0.000107
The only foods I have seen reported to
contain more than 100 picograms melatonin per gram are oats (1,796), corn
(1,366). rice (1,006), radish (657), angelica (623), ginger (584) tomato
(to 506), banana (466), chrysanthemum (417), barley (378), mustardgreens
(112) and cabbage (107). Think small. Those units are in parts per
trillion. Only the oats, rice, and corn attain the parts per billion
level, 1.7, 1.4 and 1.0 ppb respectively. Effective doses of melatonin may
start at 0.3 mg for a 100 kg person like me.To get 0.3 mg melatonin from
rice with only 0.001 mg per kilo, I'd have to eat 300 kg rice; three times
my body weight in rice. Think I'll go with the capsules!
METHIONINE: Best sources of
methionine on a dry weight basis in the published FNF database are
sunflower to 2.0%, black cumin, l.7%, brazilnut 1.0, sesame 0.9,
butternut, evening primrose, pumpkinseed, spinach, swamp cabbage, taro
leaves and watermelon seed 0.6, and bean sprouts, jute, mustard seed,
poppyseed, and soy, at ca 0.5% ZMB. Zello et al (1995) suggest a
requirement of 13 mg/kg/day methinone plus cystine for adults, based on
nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too
low.
MENTHOL: Cornmint topped
the highs in the published FNF for mentholat 2.4% (ZMB), cf 0.75% for
muticous mountain mint, 0.67% for peppermint, 0.38% for european
pennyroyal, 0.36% for watermint; 0.3% for virginia mountain mint, and
0.18% for scented geraniums.
MENTHONE: Cornmint also
topped the highs in the published FNF for menthone, at 2.4% (ZMB),
followed by typical mountain mint 2.0, pilose and virginia mountain mint
1.5, european pennyroyal 0.6, whorld mountain mint 0.5, peppermint 0.3,
white mountain mint, douglas savory, and biblical mint 0.2 with spearmint
closer to 0.1%, on a calculated dry weight basis.
MUFA: (now recommended for
NIDDM). If FNF and its sources are correct, avocado fruits can contain up
to 69% MUFA's or oleic-acid, macadamia nuts up to 59% MUFA, hazelnuts 57%,
the much maligned oil palm fruit 43%, marula nuts 42%, pistachio 34%,
olives 33, cashews 30, peanuts 26%, brazilnuts 24%, chocolate 22;
coriander seed 17, pumpkin 15%, fennelseed and butternut 11%. My proposed
MUFAmous MUFA-nut butter would embrace the better of these, spiced up with
a little coriander and fennel.
MYRCENE: This
antinociceptive compound is highest (at least in FNF) in leaves of the
bayrum tree (up to 2.4% on a calculated dry weight basis), nutmeg (0.59),
rosemary (0.56), cardamom (0.3), cornmint (0.25), wild bergamot (0.19),
juniper (0.19), parsley seed (0.17), caraway seed (0.16), spearmint
(0.14), lime (0.1), tarragon ((0.1) and dill seed (0.09% on a dry weight
basis)
MYRISTIC-ACID: Mace is
increadibly high in myristic acid, upwards of 30% on a calculated dry
weight basis, followed by coconut at 13.3, filbert at 1.4, brazilnut at
1.3, karaya at 1.2, safflower as 0.9, cantaloupe at 0.9, cottonseed at
0.7, Indian almond and macadamia at 0.6, pawpaw at 0.5, cashew at 0.4,
almond at 0.3, emblic, ginger, okra seed, oregano, sesame and thyme at
0.2, pumpkin flowers, spinach and sunflowerseeds at 0.1% on a calculated
ry weight basis.
NIACIN: Regrettably, FNF is
almost useless for niacin. It's the same old unreliable source that I find
has fouled up many FNF entriesb6. It's so bad, that I must caution anyone
using FNF to disregard all numbers followed by the citation PED. Somehow,
I must teach my computer to back up and remove all PED entries and redo
them. Big job.
NICKEL: In general
vegetarians are less likely than omnivores to be nickel-deficient. Best
source of nickle in Nielsen's table (1993) was instant tea (15.5 ppm),
cacao powder, 9.8 ppms, tea leaves 5.3, cashew 5.1, soy protein, 4.3,
walnut 3.6, filbert and peanut 1.6, almond 1.3, wheat germ 1, pistacio
0.8, rice 0.4. These calculations are for fresh weight basis, where
reasonably dry nuts and grain always score well. Fruits amy be 95% water,
vegetables 90%. Peach was the best fruits source in Nielsen's Table at
0.16 ppms, apples the lowest at 0.03. String beans were the highest
vegetable at 0.26 ppms, tomato lowest at 0.08 ppms. Roughly these fruit
and vegetable figures would be 10 times higher if you magically dried them
somehow. Important mineral component of urease which hydrolyses the
antiseptic diuretic urea to ammonium carbonate. The best source of urease
is the sword- or jackbean, Canavalia ensiformis.
OLEIC-ACID: If FNF and its
sources are correct, avocado fruits can contain up to 69% MUFA's or
oleic-acid, macadamia nuts up to 59% MUFA, hazelnuts 57%, the much
maligned oil palm fruit 43%, marula nuts 42%, pistachio 34%, olives 33,
cashews 30, peanuts 26%, brazilnuts 24%, chocolate 22; coriander seed 17,
pumpkin 15%, fennelseed and butternut 11%. Some 'Naked Seeded' pumpkins
may have 30%. My proposed MUFAmous MUFA-nut butter would embrace the
better of these, spiced up with a little coriander and
fennel.
OPC's (Oligomeric
Procyanadins): In an article by Schwitters, himself, the author of OPC in
Practice, we find a quoite that supports what I have been saying for years
"OPC is not only found together with the red pigments. It is found in all
plants, vegetables and fruits, such as oranges and lemons." Since data on
OPC's have rarely been tabulated, I cannot quantify who's the best among
them. Since they often co-occur with water-soluble tannins (polymers) and
catechins (monomers), one might search for good sources of these and
presume that, under certain circumstances, these same sources might be
good sources of OPC's. I currently prefer the peanuts hulls and the red
wines and grape juices to pine bark. A single flavan-3-ol molecule
(monomer) is catechin; the pairs and triples (dimers and
trimers) are OPC; quadruples (tetramers) and higher
polymeric procyanidins are tannin. The
whole group is identified as bioflavanols or flavanols.
(Schwitters, B. 1995. "OPC in Practice" Special Advertising Section. NFM
NSN, October, 1995)
OXALATES: Highs for
oxalic-acid in FNF are lambsquarter to 30% oxalic acid on a dry weight
basis, buckwheat leaves,11; starfruit, 9.6%, black-pepper 3.4%, purslane
1.7%, poppyseed 1.6%, rhubarb 1.3%, and tea, to 1.0% oxalic acid on a dry
weight basis. Oxalates, e.g. in black tea, may lead to stone formation.
Checking 14 kinds of national herb teas (including camomile, orange-spice
and peppermint), scientists at Memorial University of Newfoundland (J.
Amer. Diet. Assoc. Mar 1985), found that herb teas had 1/7th to 1/32th
the oxalate of regular tea (Prevention, Sept. 1995. p. 46).
PANTOTHENIC ACID: The Merck
Index (11th ed.) says that this vitamin occurs everywhere in plant and
animal tissue. The richest common source is liver but royal jelly (queen
bee jelly) contains 6 times as much. Rice bran and molasses are other
good sources. If it occurs in all plant tissues, one needs quantitative
data to impact. In my database the richest sources, on a dry weight basis,
are endive (to 145 ppm), pea (to 74 ppm), broccoli (to 63), cucumber (to
63), watercress (to 62), tomato (to 61), New Zealand spinach (to 50),
broad bean (to 50), green gram (to 48), oats (to 45), strawberry (to 40)
and avocado (to 38 ppm).
PECTIN: Pectin in fruits might be indicated for anginal and diabetic patients, maybe even colon-cancer candidates like myself. and the fast sugars contraindicated. Fruits with pectin contents above 1% are expected to make good gels. Nwanekezi et al, (1994) checked several fruits for pectin contents, and reported the following from their studies: mango, 1.8-14.1%; papaya, 1.6-12.5%; orange, 1.35-14.1%; cashew apple 1.3-16.7%; guava, 1.3-7.9%; banana 1.1-9.5%; lime 1-8%; and others like avocado (0.7-4.3%, eggplant 0.9-4.5%, irvingia 0.7-3.8%, star apple 0.6- 2.4%, and tomato 0.5-2.5% . I assume that the low values are on a fresh weight basis and have converted them to dry weight basis. Since moisture varies so widely, I prefer to compare calculated dry weight values (ZMB=zero-mositure basis). The highest pectin figures in FNF ZMB are marshmallow root (to 35%), pumpkin seed (to 30%, Bisset, 1994), white-flowered gourd (to 21%), carrot (to 18%), wood-apple (to 16%), rosehip (to 11%), flaxseed (10%), ambarella (10%) with the revered apple weighing in at only 6.7% and fig at 5%.
Up to 30% (ZMB) of the albedo of the orange may be pectin and
grapefruit peel may be 3.5% pectin (fresh weight basis). Concentrations in
juices are quite low 0.01-0.13% in orange juice, and the grapefruit juice
sacs 0.3% (Fellers, 1991).
PHENYLALANINE: Highest in my database on a zero-moisture basis is sunflower seed (4.8%), watercress and bean sprouts at 2.3%, soybean at 2.2%, pigeonpea at 2.1%
chaya at 1.9%, breadnuts at 1.8%, jute greens, watermelon seed, and
swamp cabbage at 1.7%, lupine, pigween greens, green gram, peanuts,
asparagus pea, lentil, yardlong bean at 1.6%, and spinach, carob, and
butternut, at 1.5%, zero-moisture basis. Zello et al (1995) suggest a
requirement of 14 mg/kg/day phenylalanine plus tyrosine for adults, based
on nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too
low, by about 1/2.
PHYLLOQUINONE: Highs in the
FNF database, largely derived from Shearer et al (1996) are kale (6.18
ppm), parsley 5.48, spinach (3.80), cabbage (green) (3.39), watercress
(3.15), broccoli (1.79), soybean oil (1.73), brussels sprouts (1.47),
lettuce (1.29), rapeseed oil ((1.29 ppm), and mustard greens (0.88 ppms).
The green outer leaves of cabbage can have 3-6 times more than inner
whitsh leaves. Red cabbage has only 0.190 ppms.Ironically, but as
expected, the bioavailability is lowest from the richest source, green
leafy vegetables, presumably because of the tight association of the
vitamin with the photosynthetic apparatus. Requirements (based on
coagulation requirements, not bone studies, are 1 ug/kg/day). In my case
that translates to 110 ug/day, which could be provided by a little more
than a half cup of mustard greens, less than a half cup of the other items
listed above. (Shearer et al, 1996)
Shearer, M. J., Bach, A. and Kohlmeier, M.
1996. Chemistry, nutritional sources, tissue distribution and metabolism
of vitamin K with special reference to bone health. J. Nutrition 126(4s):
1181S-1186S.
PHOSPHORUS: Highest for phosphorus in my database on a zero-moisture basis is beet, at 4.6%, foloowed by malanga leaves at 3.8%, lambsquarter at 3.7, tomatillo at 3.0, flaxseed at 2.0, cowpeas at 1.6, watermelon seed at 1.5, sesamelettuce and stringbeans at 1.4, cucumber and pumpkinseed at 1.3, swamp cabbage and watercress at 1.2, and asparagus, Indian almond, oats, peanut, pumpkin flowers, and radish, at 1.0%, on a calculated dry weight basis, well rounded.
PHYTOSTEROLS: Highest phytosterol foods in my database
based on dry weight values calculated from USDA Ag Handbook 8 et seq. are
sesame at 8,100 ppm, lettuce as 6,330, sunflower seed at 5,640, black
cumin at 5,100, hazelnut at 5,000, cucumber at 3,540, asparagus at 3,095,
okra at 2,400 (and contains the male contraceptive gossypol), cauliflower
at 2,325 ppm, buckwheat at 2,270, oregano at 2,185, beet at 1,970, spinach
at 1,800, crucifer leaves at 1,700, cashew nuts at 1,700, onions at 1,455,
pumpkin or squash at 1,425, radishes at 1,355, tomatoes at 1,155, celery
at 1,120, basil at 1,060 at etc. One could easily use such data to
construct hypocholesterolemic salads and soups to replace the
hypercholesterolemic modern meat and potatoes. A high phytosterol fruit
salad would include figs (1,485 ppm), strawberries (1,425), apricots
(1,320) with a little hypercholesterolemic ginger (910). Since the
phytosterols hang with the oils, one might seek an inexpensive sesame or
sunflower oil with even more vinegar for the salad dressing. Examining
Spiller's phytosterol table (p.213 et seq.), one sees that sprouts are
unusually rich in sterols.
Spiller, G. A. Ed. 1996. CRC Handbook of
Lipids in Human Nutrition. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. 233 pp.
PINENE(alpha-): Highest
food sources of alpha-pinene from FNF are parsley seed (to 31,080 ppm,
ZMB; coriander seed 13,780, juniper berries 9,200,, sweet annie 3,760,
cardamom 3,000, cubeb 2,200, sassafras 2,000, horsemint 2,000, ginger
1,950, sage and angelica 1,500, and boldo, dill, tarragon and yarrow at up
to 1,000 ppm, on a calculated dry weight basis.
PINENE(beta-): Highest food
sources of beta-pinene from FNF are parsley seed (to 26,450 ppm,
calculated ZMB), cumin 6,600; hyssop 4,580; cornsilk 3,000; angelica
2,400; bayleaf 2,080; sage (greek) 1,590; cornmint 1,445; lime 1,190
biblical mint 1,160, and cardamom (to 1,095 ppm, on a calculated ZMB).
POTASSIUM: If upping your
potassium can prevent stroke as Heinerman says (1994), you might want to
up your intake of lettuce (up to 12% potassium on a calculated dry weight
basis), endive (9.5%), mungbean (9%), lambsquarter leaves (8.7%), radish
(8.9), chinese cabbage (8.2%), purslane (8.1%), parsley (to 7.9%),
chrysanthemum buds (7.7%), dandelion roots (7.5%), or amaranth leaves
(7.4%), cucumber (7.2%) or spinach (6.9%) potassium on a calculated dry
weight basis. (Duke, CRC Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents) (See
allergy).
PROLINE: What a surprise to
find cabbage on top for proline, at 3.2%, then chives and soy at 2.3,
asparagus, white mustard and winged beans at 2.1, jute, velvetbeans and
wheat at 2.0, carob and watercress at at 1.9, bean sprouts and fenugreek
at 1.8, chickpea and pumpkin at 1.7, lupine at 1.6, amd okra, peanut and
pigweed at 1.5, and cowpea, lambsquarter and sesame at 1.4%, on a
calculated dry weight basis.
PUFA: The butternut, Juglans cinerea, is high for polyunsaturates, at 44.2%, sunflower coming in second at 34.6%, brazilnut third at 25.0%, pumpkinseed fourth at 22.5%, peanut fifth at 18.4%, foloowed by soybean at 12.3%, cashew at 8.4%, pistachio and avocado fruits at 7.6% and breadfruit seeds at 6.8%, on a zero-moisture basis.
QUERCETIN: Washinton State Scientists (Patil and Pike,
1995) studied the distribution of quercetin in different rings of various
coloured onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars. The skins were extracted with
alcohol to obtain bound quercetin glycosides that were then hydrolyzed to
free quercetin. Unfortunately for food "farmacists", quercetin decreased
from the outer dry skin to the inner more palatable rings. The highest
concentration was in the outer dry skin of 'Red Bone" onion (30,600 ppms;
including 20,640 ppms free quercetin) while 'Contessa' had only 94 ppm.
The outer rings (not the dry skin) of 'Kadavan' were highest at 345 ppms
fresh weight. That means you'd have to eat a kilo of these Kadavan outer
rings to get 345 mg quercetin. Onion skins are still my best source of
quercetin. French fried onion skins, anyone? "An onion a day may bea
better prescription than an apple a day." (Brown, 1996). A recent Dutch
study concluded that food quercetin was better absorbed than "silver
bullet" quercetin. From onions, the ileostomy volunteers absorbed 52% of
quercetin, cf. 17% for quercetin rutinosides and 24% for quercetin
agylcone. Brown (1996) counters that after oral administration of 4 grams
quercetin ("silver bullet"), serum levels never exceed 1 ug/ml.
Hollman, P.C.H. et al. 1995. Absorption of
dietary quercetin glycosides and quercetin in healthy ileostomy
volunteers. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 62: 1276-82.
Patil, B.S. and Pike, L.M. 1995. Distribution of quercetin content in
different rings of various coloured onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars. J.
Hort. Sci. 70(4): 643-50.
Reichert, R. 1996. Quercetin Absorption. QRNM(Spring): 15-6.
RIBOFLAVIN: It would take more than 10 pounds of dry
lambsquarter (100 pounds of fresh lambsquarter containing 90% water),
richest source in my database to provide the 400 mg a day shown to reduce
severity of migraine 70%. Lambsquarter leaves contain 76 mg/kg or 76 ppm,
ZMB; thyme has 53; jutegreens 44; poke shoots 39; peppermint 39; asparagus
36; taro leaves 35, mallow leaves 35; celery stalks 34 and roselle 31
mg/kg or part per million, on a zero moisture basis.
ROSMARINIC-ACID: One could
get physiologically significant doses of the antioxidant antithyrotrpic
rosmarinic acid by consuming teas composed of some of the following,
mostly pleasant tea-making herbs, shall we call it Rosmarinade:
basil 1,000-19,000 ppm rosmarinic-acid
beebalm 18,000
bugle 37,000
lemonbalm 37,000
oregano 1,000-55,000
peppermint 1,000-30,000
rosemary 3,000-39,000
sage 2,000-30,000
savory 12,000-26,000
selfheal 61,000
spearmint 6,000-43,000
thyme 5,000-26,000 ppm
RUTIN rutin (%)
Pagoda Tree Flowers 13-30% (LAF)
EUCALYPTUS RHYNCHOPHYLLA 10-24% (LAF)
Violet Flowers 10-23% (FNF)
Eucalyptus Leaf 7-10% (FNF)
Mulberry Leaves 2-6 (FNF)
Buckwheat(but not seed) 1-6.4(LAF)
Pagoda Tree Leaves 0-4
Rue (POISON) 2
Citrus Leaf 0.6
Rhubarb 0.6
Sheep Sorrel 0.5
Coca 0.5
SAPONINS: Highs in my
database (URL = http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/) for saponins include the
inedible horse chestnut (to 26%), licorice (to 14%), unedible seneca
snakeroot and soapbark (to 10%), rose leaves (to 8.5%), gotu kola (to 8%),
ginseng (to 7%), inedible blackbean and edible desert date (to 7%), beets
and chickpea (to 6%) air potato (to 5.7%), soybean and mungbean( to 5.5%)
spinach (at 5%), cornsilk (to 3%), epazote and violet (to 2.5%), and
alfalfa, sarsaparilla and velvetbean (to 2%). Alfalfa sprouts may attain
8%. The saponins, e.g. in licorice, are such that they can emulsify active
ingredients in other herbs, increasing their availability an order of
magnitude or two.
SERINE: Beansprouts lead
off for serine at 2.4%, followed by carob and soy at 2.3, lupine at 2.1,
buitternut at 1.7, butterbean, chives, swamp cabbage and velvetbean at
1.5, asparagus, jute, lablab, lentil, peanut, at 1.4, pistachio and sesame
and watermelon seed at 1.4, and black bean, cauliflower, faba
bean,fenugreek, green gram, and pigweed at 1.3%, on a calculated dry
weight basis.
SEROTONIN: Mix to taste
ground seeds of the following (serotonin levels in ppms): butternut (398
ppm); black walnut (304), shagbark hickory (143) english walnut (87),
mockernut (67), pecan (29), pignut (25). LRNP (Sep. 1993) mentions that
kiwi fruits have twice the serotonin of tomatoes and 1/3 that of bananas,
enough to interfere with urinalysis for serotonin metabolites.
SILICA: Lanning has
reported 6.5% in seeds of rarely eaten weed, Fimbristylis: 3.2 % in rice,
2.6% in johnson grass; 1.4% in oats; 0.8% in wild rice, 0.7% in barley,
0.05% in millet, 0.03% in sorghum, 0.01% in rye; 0.01% in wheat (though
the bran is 14 times higher), and 0.01% in triticale. Walker (1970)
produced data that I have yet to computerize with only five food plants
attaining more than 0.1% SiO2: horseradish 0.22%, spinach 0.18%, parsnips
0.17%, dandelion 0.13%, and savoy cabbage 0.10%. My database had shown
before these documents: barley, to 0.90%; hempseed 0.84%; nettle 0.65%;
chickweed 0.48%; brazilnut 0.18%; butternut 0.14%; walnut 0.14%;
pistachio 0.14%; parsley 0.14%; cashew 0.13%; stringbean 0.12%; turnip
0.12% and cucumber, to 0.10%, on a zero-moisture basis.
STEARIC-ACID: Of edible
seeds, cashew tops my stearic-acid list, at 10.2%, followed by java olive
at 7.5, brazilnut at 7.3, cucumber seeds 7.0, watermelon seeds 6.6, Indian
almond at 4.1, cantaloupe seed at 3.5, sesame at 3.3, pumpkin-seed at
3.0,, sunflower and macadamia at 2.8, walnut at 2.1, and cardamom qt 1.8%
on a calculated dry weight basis. Strangely I have no quantitative data
for chocolate, basis for an industry which keeps bragging about chocolate
being useful in weight reduction, rather than fattening. But there may be
bad news breaking. Under the title Unusual Fats Lose Heart-friendly Image,
Science News (Raloff, 1996) reports a British Study from the August
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggestiung that lamb and dairy
products correlated most closely with worsening atherosclerosis. Stearic
acid, found in meat and cocoa butter, is unique among saturated fatty
acids in failing to elevate blood cholesterol. And not so surprisingly,
trans-fatty acids, common in margarines, shortening and animal products,
were fingered. Thomas A. Pearson, Mary Imogene Bassett Research Institute,
Cooperstown NY, and editor of a monograph on stearic acid, had concluded
that it lacked the deleterious effects of other saturated fats. He did
admit that animal tests suggested it might induce blood clots - elevating
risk for heart attack or stroke- thought there was as yet no evidence for
this in humans. He reiterates that the new study doesn't yet "support a
conclusion that stearic acid causes heart disease." Taking the other side,
W. E. Connor, Oregon Health Sciences University in Portlant, a blood clot
researcher, says "I was always inclined to view stearic acid as not
benign. This study now confirms that."(Raloff, J. 1996. Unusual fats lose
heart-friendly image. Sci. News 150: p. 87)
TANNIN:
HERB % TANNIN
Rhatany >20% (VET)
Black tea 11.5-33%
Bearberry 16.7-22.0 (to 40%, acc to LRNP)
Persimmon 20.0 (Crellin & Philpott)
Woodavens 12-28 (Bisset)
Betony (Stachys offic.) 15 (Honest Herbal)
Hamamelis Capsules 11.0
Eucalyptus Capsules 11.0
Redroot 10.0 (Crellin & Philpott)
St. John's-wort 10.0 (LRNP Aug 1989)
Sage Capsules 8.6
Sage Tea 3-7 (VET)
Maté 8.4-8.5
Maté 7-14 (LRNP Apr 1988)
Hawthorn 5.9
Raspberry Leaf 5.6
Peppermint 5.0-5.5 (6-12%, BIS)
Rooibus 4.4-5.4
Bilberry Capsules 5.3
Artichoke Capsules 4.3
Nettle 3.2
Lemon Verbena 2.3
Camomile 1.8-2.3
Comfrey 2.3
Fennel 0.6
Honeysuckle contains at least two antiviral
compounds over and beyond the antiviral tannin. You can imagine my
surprise when I asked the computer what was the best source of tannin. The
computer said honeysuckle plants, at 800,000 ppms (that's 80%). Garbage
in. Garbage out. In the CRC Handbook of Phytochemicals, the number for the
honeysuckle entry, before computerization, had an extra 0, reading 80,0000
where it should have read 80,000 or 8%. Users on the internet next month
will find the right number 80,000 there, putting honeysuckle way back on
page two of also rans in the tannin hit parade on the NetScape.
Embarassing; privet the number two entry had the same mistake, 70,0000
instead of 70,000. (My computer sometimes adds an extra digit due to my
southern drawl at the keyboard.) That's why I always have to verify
exceptional highs in our database. But we get closer to the truth,
eliminating typos as we verify exciting results. Cainagre was a valid
entry at a high of 35%, fruits of Acacia came in second and third at
32-34%; pomegranate rind at 33.6%, guava bark at 30%, emblic fruit and
geranium root at 28%; tea leaves at 27%; sumach leaves at at 27%, rose
flowers and Mexican bamboo at 24%, peruvian pepperbark at 23%, sorrel root
at 22.6%, bearberry at 20. Yes honeysuckle at her true 8% and privet at
7%. Even St. John's-wort flowers have 16%.
Polyphenols seem to exert three major
medical influences (1)complexation ("chelation") with metals, like
aluminum, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, vanadium etc.(2) complexation
with other molecules like proteins and polysaccharides, and (3)
antioxidant and radical scavenging activities. (Haslam, 1996) . Reactive
oxidant species have been implicated in aging, arthritis, atherosclerosis,
autoimmune diseases, cancer, inflammation (technicaly and strictly
theoretically making them useful in any ...-itis), multiple
sclerosis, parkinson's disease and senile dementia; tannins and
polyphenols, wide ranging in plants, are less consumed by meatarians than
vegetarians. Haslam (1996) tabulates some radical scavenger's IC50s.
COMPOUND HYDROXYL SINGLET SUPERPEROXIDE
HO O2-
Ascorbic Acid 18.8 120.4 23.3
Gallic Acid 78.0 69.8 1.01
Hamamelitannin 5.46 45.5 1.31
Propyl Gallate 86.5 66.7 1.41
Haslam, E. 1996. Natural polyphenols
(vegetable tannins) as drugs: Possible modes of action. J. Nat. Prod.
59(2):205-215.
*TANNIN: Anthelminthic
JNP59:205; Anticariogenic JNP59:205; Antidiarrheic; Antidysenteric;
Antihepatotoxic JNP59:205; AntiHIV JNP59:205; Antihypertensive JNP59:205;
Antilipolytic JNP59:205; Antimutagenic; Antiophidic EMP5:363; Antioxidant
IC50=1.44 ug/ml CPB38:1051; Antiradicular 500 mg/kg/day orl mus
CPB38:1049; Antirenitic CPB38:1049; Antitumor JNP59:205; Antiulcer
JNP59:205; Antiviral JNP59:205; Bactericide JE26:74; Cancer-Preventive
HG22:14; Chelator JNP59:205; Cyclooxygenase-Inhibitor JNP59:205;
Glucosyl-Transferase-Inhibitor JNP59:205; Hepatoprotective;
Immunosuppressant RWG29; Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor JNP59:205; MAO-Inhibitor
JNP59:205; Ornithine-Decarboxylase-Inhibitor JNP59:205; Psychotropic
CPB38:1049; Viricide JE26:74; Xanthine-Oxidase-Inhibitor JNP59:205
THIAMIN: My high value for
thiamin traces back to the reference coded PED which I no longer trust in
all cases. Gentian root was there reported at 48 ppms. The 1.8% (18,000
ppms) reported for wood of Picrasmia excelsa (Leung and Foster,
1995) is more than 100 times higher than the incredible figure given for
gentian. (Interesting that both the incredibly high thiamin herbs are also
incredibly bitter. Following these incredible inedibles, various bean
sprouts look credibly good, with blackbean highest at 40 ppm, then
asparagus at 26, sunflower seed at 24, shepherd's purse at 21, okra and
other mallows at 20, buchu and sowthistle at 19, watercress at 18, peanut,
soy sprouts and taro leaves at 17, coriander leaves at 16, bell pepper,
chaya and snowpeas at 15, beet greens, chicory, chrystanthemum, endive,
fenugreek, peas, and water lotus at 14 ppms, on a calculated dry weight
basis.
THREONINE:Highs for
threonine, at least in my published database, include watercress (to
2.66%), blackbean sprouts (to 1.89%), swamp canbbage (Ipomoea
aquatica) (to 1.86%), soybeans (to 1.73%), watermelon seed (to
1.53%), white lupine (to 1.49%), spinach (to 1.45%), chives (to 1.39%) ,
jew's mallowchives (to 1.34%), winged bean (to 1.29%) and sesame (to
1.24%) on a ZMB. Zello et al (1995) suggest a requirement of 7 mg/kg/day
threonine for adults, based on nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain
that such estimates are too low, by about 1/2.
THYMOL: Highs for thymol,
at least in my published database, include ajwan (to 3.3%), horsemint (to
2.8%), thyme (to 2.4%), nude mountain mint (to 2.3%), wild bergamot (to
2.1%), winter savory (to 1.4%), mountain dittany (to 1.1%), lemon mint (to
0.83%), basil (to 0.14%), and california bay (to 0.13%), on a calculated
zero moisture basis. (Under Altitude Sickness)
TOCOPHEROL: Highs for
tocopherol, at least in my published database, include purslane (to 0.23%,
ZMB), wheat grains (0.19), corn (0.10), swamp cabbage (Ipomoea)
(0.12), cottonseed oil (0.09), rose seed (0.07), chickweed (0.04) pansy
flowers (0.03), asparagus (0.03), sesame (0.02) and poppyseed (0.02% on a
calculated dry weight basis). Oil palm oil is said to be the best source
of tocotrienol. Liu and Huang (1995) showed that tissue alpha-tocopherol
retention in male rats is compromised by feeding diets containing oxidized
frying oil. (This could be reversed by tocopherol supplementation.) Liu,
J. F. and Huang, C. J. 1995. Tissue alpha-tocopherol retention in male
rats is compromised by feeding diets containing oxidized frying oil. J.
Nutr. 125(12): 3071-9. On an as-purchased basis, "nuts contain more
vitamin E than any other source except vegetable oils". Almonds and
hazlenuts are rich in alpha-tocopherol (240 ppms) while pecans and
walnuts are rich in gamma-tocopherol (180 ppms) (Sabate et al, 1996).
Sabate, J. Bell, H. E. T. and Fraser, G.E. 1996. Nut Consumption and
Coronary Heart Disease. pp. 145-151 in Spiller, G. A. Ed. 1996. CRC
Handbook of Lipids in Human Nutrition. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. 233 pp.
TRYPTOPHAN: Mix to taste
ground seeds of the following (highest reported tryptophan levels in
rounded ppms): evening primrose (9,000 ppm), winged bean (8,000), white
mustard (5,000), pumpkin (4,500), sunflower (4,000), lablab (4,000),
sesame (3,500), chickpea (3,500). The best green source is watercress
(6,000), beansprouts and spinach (4,500), asparagus, chives, jute, mustard
green, mungbean and vine spinach (Basella) sprouts at 4,000, cauliflower,
chicory, cornsalad, pigweed, purslane, and taro leaves at 3,500 ppms on a
calculated dry weight basis. Zello et al (1995) suggest
a requirement of 3.5 mg/kg/day tryptophan for adults, based on
nitrogen-balance studies, but they maintain that such estimates are too
low.
TYROSINE: My old red neck
mustard greens tyranically top the tyrosine charts at 1.9% on a ZMB,
followed by velvetbean seeds at 1.7, carob and winged bean at 1.6, bean
sprouts, lupine and soy at 1.5, oats at 1.4, lablab, peanut, spinach and
watercress at 1.3, and jute greens, sesame, taro leaves and tepary beans
at 1.2, and butternut, chaya, chives, fababean, lambsquarter, pigweed,
pumpkinseed, snowpea, swamp cabbage, and watermelon seeds at closer to
1.0% on a dry weight basis.
URSOLIC ACID:
ACINOS THYMOIDES 14,000 SH NAP
BURSERA DELPECHIANA 33,333 RE NAP
CALAMINTHA ASHEI 52,000 LF NAP
CLINOPODIUM VULGARE 14,000 SH NAP
CLINOPODIUM VULGARE 16,000 LF NAP
EUCALYPTUS ALBA 15,000 LF NAP
EUCALYPTUS MICROTHECA 25,000 LF NAP
EUCALYPTUS TERETICORNIS 12,000 LF NAP
EUCALYPTUS TESSELLARIS 13,000 LF NAP
FORSYTHIA SUSPENSA 13,000 LF NAP
FRAXINUS ORNUS 11,000 LF FNF
HELICHRYSUM DIOSMAEFOLIUM 16,000 LF NAP
HELICHRYSUM STOECHAS 29,475 SH NAP
HYPTIS CAPITATA 51,460 SH NAP
ILEX AQUIFOLIUM 22,500-33,400 LF NAP
LAVANDULA LATIFOLIA 10,000-19,000 LF FNF
LEPECHINIA MEYENI 13,635 SH NAP
NEPETA CATARIA 10,300 SH NAP
NERIUM OLEANDER 43,000 PL FNF
PRUNUS AFRICANA 28,900 BK NAP
ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS 28,000-48,000 FNF (-192,000) LF NAP (Ref K1505)
SALVIA TRILOBA 74,500 PL FNF
SATUREJA MONTANA 16,000 LF NAP "FNF"
SHOREA ROBUSTA 350,000 RE NAP
THYMUS KARAMARIANICUS 25,100 SH NAP T14283
THYMUS KOTSCHYANUS 11,700 SH NAP
THYMUS VULGARIS 15,000-18,800 SH FNF
VACCINIUM OXYCOCCOS 8,000-11,000 FR NAP
VINCA MINOR 1,400-37,000 LF FNF
Strange how FNF and NAPRALERT databases (the latter courtesy of Norman
Farnsworth) complement each other.There's a synergy in these databases
just like there is in the chemicals. Re ursolic acid, NAPRALERT had 24
entries over 10,000 ppm, two shared with FNF; FNF had 7, making NAPRALERT
nearly 3.5 times better than FNF. But there's synergy between the
databases, bringing the total to 29 species with more than 1% ursolic
acid. Mints were outstanding for ursolic and maslinic acid, from Coleus
and Salvia, as well as drops of EO of cloves. After compiling all this,
I'd mix up a pleasing tea, if I had HIV, and indulge the potential
synergies of the natural protease inhibitors, ursolic acid from Acinos,
Hyptis, Rosmarinus and Thymus; maslinic acid. The only quantitative data I
had for maslinic acid was for Salvia officinalis. Coversely, Napralert
didn't have my high value for the chicoric acid in Echinacea, while FNF
didn't have the rather smaller number for chicory.
VALINE: Sunflowers smile at
the summit of the valine charts, with 5.0%, followed by snowpeas and
watercress at 2.7%, beansprouts at 2.3, carob and pumpkinseed at 2.1, jute
gren (mulakiya) and soy at 2.0, spinach at 1.9, swamp cabbage, taro and
velvetbean at 1.8, lupine, tepary and winged bean at 1.7, butternut,
chives, lentil, pigweed and sesame at 1.6, and asparagus, chaya, fababean,
and pistachio at 1.5. Zello et al (1995) suggest a requirement of 10
mg/kg/day valine for adults, based on nitrogen-balance studies, but they
maintain that such estimates are too low.
VIT-B6: Higher entries for
B6 (RDA=2 mg/day) in FNF include edible jute (Corchorus olitorus)
at 50 ppm (ZMB), cauliflower at 30, watercress at 26, spinach at 24,
garden cress at 23, banana at 23, okra at 22, onion, broccoli and squash
at 18, kale and kohlrabi at 17, brussels sprouts and peas at 16, and
radish at 15 ppm's, on a calculated zero moisture basis. Acc to CRH7:p.
63, 1995, on a fresh weight basis, one avocado will provide 43% of the RDA
of 2,000 micrograms of vit B6, or 860 micrograms (ug); one baked potato
with skin 700, one slice watermelon 700, one banana 660, 1/2 cup sunflower
seeds 280, 1/2 cup wheat bran, one sweet potato 280, 6 dried figs 260, one
tablespoon rice bran 220, 1/2 cup spinach 220, and 1/2 cup peanuts 10% of
the RDA or 200 ug, on an as purchased basis.
ZINC:If my database is
correct, good sources of zinc include: spinach (to 185 ppms, dry weight
basis), parsley (to 165), collards (to 155), brussel sprouts (to 155),
cucumbers (to 155), stringbeans (to 150) endive (to 145) cowpea (to 145)
prunes (to 130) and asparagus (to 125 ppms, dry weight basis). Maybe
that's why popeye and olive and spinach got along so well. "Zinc plays an
essential role in the synthesis and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH)
and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadal differentiation, action of
the Mullerian inhibiting factor, testicular growth and development of
seminiferous tubules, spermatogenesis, testicular steroidogenesis,
androgen metabolism and interaction with steroid receptors...In zinc
deficiency, testicular cells are able to take up cholesterol and neutral
lipids which are precursors of sex steroids, but are incapable of
converting them into sex steroids, leading to the arrest of
spermatogenesis and the impairment of fertilization." Following the
prostate and kidney, liver has highest amounts of zinc. Liver, kidney,
neuroendocrine structures and male accessory reproductive organs
metabolize testosterone into 5 alpha-androstan-17-beta-ol-3alpha-one of
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) with the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase. Testosterone
is also converted to estradiol by aromatase in the liver, testis, skin,
adipose and neural tisues. (Hepatic aromatization of androgens to
estrogens is enhanced by castration, alcohol ingestion, and cocaine
administration.) (Om and Chung, 1996.). Zinc deficiency lowered the
hepatic conversion of testosterone to DHT but increased conversion of
testosterone to estradiol. Increased maternal need for zinc must be met
thru increased dietary intake or homeostatic mechanisms which could
compensate for the secretion of zinc into milk. Such mechanisms may
involve (1) increased absorption (2) reduced excretion (urine and faecal
endogenous losses) and (3) use of maternal pools of zinc, like bone (ca
30% of total body zinc, or 660 mg zinc associated with bone in a 60 kg
woman). All three homeostatic mechanisms have been postulated and
demonstrated. (Moser-Veillon, 1995). Matter of fact, the homeostatic
mechanisms are so strong as that pharmacological intakes of zinc did not
alter milk zinc contents. I'm rather inclined to believe that evolution
would favor conservational mechanisms like this for most, if not all,
essential vitamins and minerals, if not nutraceuticals yet to be proved
essential. {Moser-Veillon, P.B. 1995. Zinc needs and homeostasis during
lactation. Analyst 120 (Mar. 1995): 895-7.}
GENERAL REFERENCES: CRC Handbook of
Proximate Analysis Tables of Higher Plants (1986) CRC Handbook
(and database) of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other
Economic Plants, 654 pp., 1992; CRC Handbook (and Database) of
Biological Activities of Phytochemicals (1992), CRC Handbook of
Medicinal Mints (Aromathematics) (1996).
SPECIFIC REFERENCES:
Nielsen, F.H. 1993. Ultratrace Minerals. Chap. 15. pp. 269-286. in
Shils, et al, eds. Modern Nutrition in health and Disease, 8th Ed. Lea &
Febiger, Philadelphia.
Moser-Veillon, P.B. 1995. Zinc needs and
homeostasis during lactation. Analyst 120 (Mar. 1995): 895-7.
Om, A.S. and Chung, K.W. 1996. Dietary zinc
deficiency alters 5-alpha-reduction and aromatization of testosterone and
androgen and estrogen receptors in rat liver. J. Nutr. 126(4):842-8.
Zello, G.A., Wykes, L.J., Ball, R.O. and
Pencharz, P.B. 1995. Recent advances in methods of assessing dietary amino
acid requirements for adult humans. J. Nutr. 125(12): 2907-2915.