Phytochemicals in fruit and vegetables | Knowledge for policy

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

Examples of phytochemicals (carotenoids, flavonoids and sterols) and the fruit and vegetables where they can be found

Extracted and adapted from (IARC Handbook)

Carotenoids
α-carotene V: Carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato
β-carotene F: Apricot, cantaloupe, guava, mango, peach, persimmon, red/pink, grapefruit V: Arugula, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, Brussells sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cassava leaves, chicory, chili pepper, collards, cress, dandelion greens, fiddlehead greens, kale, mustard greens, pak-choy, pumpkin, sweet red pepper, romaine, spinach, sweet potato, Swiss chard, tomato, turnip greens, winter squash
β-cryptoxanthin F: Apple, apricot, avocado, cantaloupe, carambola, grape fruit, jackfruit, kiwifruit, kumquat, mango, olive, orange, papaya, passion fruit, peach, persimmon, plum, tangerine, watermelon V: Broccoli, corn, pumpkin, red pepper, tomato, winter squash
Lycopene F: Guava, red/pink grapefruit, watermelon V: Tomato
Lutein F: Kiwifruit, orange, tangerine, watermelon V: Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, collards, corn, kale, lettuce, potato, pumpkin, spinach, sweet red pepper, tomato, turnip greens
Zeaxanthin
F: Orange, persimmon V: Collards, corn, kale, lettuce, pumpkin, sweet red pepper, spinach, tangerine, turnip greens

Flavonoids
Anthocyanins F: Apple, blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cherry, chokecherry, cranberry, elderberry, nectarine, peach, plum, raspberry, pomegranate, red grape, red/green pear, strawberry V: Asparagus, carrot, red cabbage, red onion, red bean
Flavanols (including catechins & proanthocyanidins) F: Apple, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, red grape, strawberry V: Green bean
Flavanones F: Grapefruit, lemon, orange V: Tomato
Flavones F: Grapefruit, lemon, orange V: Carrot, celery, parsley sweet, red/green pepper
Flavonols (including quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol) F: Orange, red-purple grape V: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onion, turnip greens

Sterols
Beta-sitosterol F: Apple, apricot, avocado, banana, cantaloupe, cherry, fig, grapefruit, lemon, orange,peach, pear, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, red grape, strawberry, watermelon V: asparagus, Brussels sprout, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, okra, onion, pea, potato, pumpkin, radish, soybean, tomato
Campesterol F: Apple, apricot, banana, fig, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, orange, peach V: asparagus, Brussels sprout, carrot, cauliflower, lettuce, okra, onion, pea, radish, soybean, tomato
Stigmasterol F: Banana, fig, grapefruit, lemon, orange, peach V: asparagus, carrot, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, okra, pea, potato, soy bean, tomato

Was this page useful?