You've probably heard a lot about vitamins and minerals — but phytonutrients are just as worth knowing about, and most people don't give them much thought.
So, what are phytonutrients and why are they important? Simply put, they're natural compounds found in plants. You get them by eating a wide variety of colorful whole foods — including, yes, dark chocolate.
Let's break it all down.
What Are Phytonutrients?
The word “phytonutrient” comes from the Greek word phyto, meaning plant. Phytonutrients are natural compounds that plants create as part of their biology — a reaction to things like sunlight, pests, and their environment.
And when you eat those plants you are eating those same natural compounds.
Phytonutrients are also responsible for the rich, vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables—the deep red of berries, the bright orange of carrots, the bold green of kale. Scientists have identified thousands of them and researchers continue to find new ones.
Unlike vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients aren't classified as "essential" nutrients. But they are still important when understanding what are phytonutrients and why are they important, since they are a natural part of a varied, plant-rich diet and that's reason enough to pay attention to them.
Types of Phytonutrients
There are many categories of phytonutrients. Here are the most well-known ones and where you'll find them:
1. Flavonoids
Flavonoids are one of the largest and most studied groups of phytonutrients. They're naturally present in berries, dark chocolate, citrus fruits, and tea.
2. Carotenoids
Carotenoids are the pigments that give carrots their orange color, tomatoes their red, and sweet potatoes their yellow. They're found in a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
3. Polyphenols
Polyphenols occur naturally in cocoa, green tea, grapes, olive oil, and nuts. Dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao is one of the best sources of natural phytonutrients in this group.
4. Glucosinolates
These are the compounds responsible for the slightly bitter taste of broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Glucosinolates are naturally occurring in cruciferous vegetables.
5. Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in grapes, red wine, and dark chocolate.
6. Lignans
Lignans are plant-based compounds found in flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and whole grains.
Why Are Phytonutrients Worth Including in Your Diet?
Phytonutrients are a natural part of whole plant-based foods. Eating a variety of them simply means you're getting a broader range of what plants naturally have to offer.
This is also why people often search for what are phytonutrients and why are they important because they play a supporting role in overall diet quality.
Here’s what makes a phytonutrient-rich diet stand out:
- Variety — Different phytonutrients come from different plants, so a colorful, varied diet naturally delivers a wide spectrum of them.
- Whole food nutrition Phytonutrients are found alongside fiber, vitamins, and minerals in whole foods, making them part of a naturally balanced eating pattern.
- Easy to include, You don't need special products or supplements. Everyday foods like berries, leafy greens, nuts and dark chocolate are among the best sources of natural phytonutrients.
Best Food Sources of Phytonutrients
The richest sources of phytonutrients are whole, colorful, plant-based foods. These are widely considered the best sources of natural phytonutrients because they provide a wide range of compounds.
- Dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) - Polyphenols, Flavonoids
- Berries (blueberries, raspberries) - Flavonoids
- Carrots, sweet potatoes - Carotenoids
- Broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts - Glucosinolates
- Flaxseeds, sesame seeds - Lignans
- Green tea - Catechins (Flavonoids)
- Grapes, red wine - Resveratrol
- Tomatoes - Lycopene (Carotenoid)
The golden rule: eat a rainbow. Different colors in fruits and vegetables signal different phytonutrients. The more variety on your plate, the broader your intake of what foods contain phytonutrients.
How to Add More Phytonutrients to the Diet?
You don't need a complicated meal plan. Here are simple, everyday ways to include foods rich in phytonutrients:
- Start with color. At every meal, aim for at least two different colors of fruits or vegetables on your plate.
- Snack on dark chocolate. A square or two of high-quality dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) is one of the easiest ways to get polyphenols from natural food sources.
- Try green tea. Green tea is a natural source of catechins, a type of flavonoid found in very few other foods.
- Add seeds to your morning meal. Stir flaxseeds or chia seeds into oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies for an easy way to include lignans.
- Choose whole over processed. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains naturally retain more phytonutrients.
- Include cruciferous vegetables regularly. Broccoli, kale, and cabbage are among the most phytonutrient-dense foods available.
A Quick Note on Dark Chocolate and Phytonutrients
Not all chocolate is created equal. Milk chocolate and heavily processed cocoa products lose much of their natural phytonutrient content during manufacturing. For the most naturally rich option look for dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao and minimal processing.
At Santa Barbara Chocolate, cacao is carefully handled to preserve natural compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids.
Frequently Asked Questions About Phytonutrients
1. What are phytonutrients exactly?
Phytonutrients are natural compounds found in plants. Plants produce them as part of their biology in response to their environment. When you eat those plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, you consume those compounds too. Common examples include flavonoids in berries, carotenoids in carrots and polyphenols in dark chocolate.
2. What foods are the best sources of phytonutrients?
The best sources are colorful, whole, plant-based foods. Top choices include berries, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, green tea, flaxseeds, nuts and dark chocolate (70%+ cacao). Eating a wide variety is key to covering what foods contain phytonutrients in your daily diet.
3. Are phytonutrients the same as antioxidants?
Not exactly but they overlap. Many phytonutrients act as antioxidants meaning they interact with free radicals in the body. But not all phytonutrients are antioxidants and not all antioxidants are phytonutrients.
4. Can you get phytonutrients from supplements?
Whole foods are the most natural way to get phytonutrients. Food contains thousands of these compounds together, alongside fiber, vitamins and minerals.
5. Is dark chocolate really a good source of phytonutrients?
Yes, high-quality dark chocolate is one of the richest natural sources of phytonutrients like polyphenols and flavonoids. The key is choosing chocolate with at least 70% cacao and minimal processing.
