What are phytochemicals? Let’s start with the basics: how to pronounce the word. I like to break it down into two parts. The "chemicals" ending to this word should pose no problem. But the first part -- Phyto -- may need some help. Think of it as the supposedly common dog name (and sometime crossword puzzle word) "Fido." Change the "d" to a "t" and you have Phyto; add the end and you have the full word. Now, what are they?

First of all, phytochemicals are not vitamins, minerals, amino acids or any other well-known class of nutrients. There has been no "known" basic human need for these chemical creatures, as opposed to vitamins and minerals, which do have established needs. For example, the official definition of "vitamins" is: "organic substances required by mammals in small amounts [micronutrients] that cannot be synthesized [by our bodies] in optimal amounts." There is a similarity, however between phytochemicals and vitamins, and it’s acutely valid: Both are best when derived from the foods we eat. While supplemental products may try to mimic the components of foods, with varying degrees of success, the real goods can only get gotten from food. Hippocrates -- Right again! (But I still recommend supplements, especially for HIV+ folks, because usually you can't eat enough food to get all the micronutrients you need.)

Phytochemicals are derived from naturally occurring ingredients and are actively being investigated for their health-promoting potential, according to the American Dietetic Association. If you saw them listed as ingredients on a cereal box, you might be alarmed: isoflavones, terpenes, indoles, phenolic acids, saponins, and lignans. But tongue twisters aren’t always bad for us. For us, the simplest way to explain this class of nutrients is that our bodies use them as a part of disease-fighting arsenals. Many phytochemicals have been highlighted for their potential cancer-fighting properties. Lycopene, for example, is a phytochemical found in tomatoes and pink grapefruits. Lycopene, like its cousin, beta carotene, is a pigment; in this case the color of tomatoes and grapefruits. There’s a strong possibility that it may delay or prevent some forms of cancer. Isoestrogens, found in soy products, may thwart estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, or prevent re-occurrences and/or metastases. Cancers also happen with HIV/AIDS, so it truly is a concern for Nutrition Power.

Some phytochemicals have been pilled. One such supplement is called "Advanced Proanthocyanidin Complex" and it’s ingredient label includes pycnogenol, pine bark extract, grape seed extract, green tea extract, red wine extract, ginkgo biloba extract, citrus bioflavonoids, quercitin, rutin and hesperidin. All of these components are probably good for us, but a month’s worth of this supplement would run about $24.00, plus tax, per month. Are the pills as good as the actual foods? Never! Food is always our best source, but I haven’t had an urge for pine bark recently, and I haven’t found it at the supermarket yet. And I don’t think it’s an absolute necessity for life. But I do know that the anti-cancer drug "Taxol" comes from the Pacific Yew tree, so maybe tree things can be good for us. So in this case, the pill is the best source, but again, it can be expensive.

Otherwise, the grapes, citrus and tea can be gotten fairly well through the foods we eat. And for those of us lucky enough to be able to consume alcohol, red wine can also provide us with a phytochemical army! Impress your friends next time you find yourself holding a hors d’oevre plate with one hand and your wine glass in the other. Since you can’t eat without dropping something, talk about your health drink! White wine’s OK, by the way, but red’s better.

Research is currently very active in the phytochemicals department. It’s been said that today’s laboratory pioneers are busy deciphering the many ways phytochemicals in foods may offer front-line defenses against many life-threatening diseases, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis (20% of hip fractures result in dealth). I include longevity in this list, and you might too -- after you finish reading this.

Isothiocyanates (sorry, no article-long pronunciation guide) are found in cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts. Their enzymes fight cancer. The vegetables themselves are usually "gassy" but it doesn’t have to be that way. Thorough chewing can eliminate all or most of the gassiness from these food residues, but if that doesn’t do the trick, use Beno or activated charcoal capsules for relief. These do work, but chewing’s better -- trust me! Saponins are found in beans and legumes and their actions seem to be at the level of genetic mutations. Since HIV carries mutation risks (also known as resistance), and since the legumes that contain them are veryvery good food choices, there’s now another reason to eat them. Yes, they’re gassy too. The outer peeling of the beans is the type of fiber that makes diarrhea happen, and also accompanies gas, bloating and cramping. Try canned beans to start out (drain away the water). The skins have been soaking for a long time so the fiber structure is somewhat broken down. And, again, chew well. Legumes are one of the single-best nutrient sources, they’re dirt cheap, and once you acclimate to their structure -- begin slowly, gradually upgrade your portion size -- the vast array of uses for these foods will make it easy to incorporate them into your daily routine.

How to use some of these in "real life?" First, be creative. I love baked potato with baked beans as a topping, instead of high-fat butter, sour cream and gravy. I almost always have pre-prepared cole slaw around, and it contains chopped egg whites (protein), one or more bean types (chopped tofu and canned kidney beans), grated carrots, chopped onions and cucumbers, grated fresh ginger, sunflower seeds and rice. It’s a great snack to munch on while waiting for the microwave to finish cooking the rest of a meal and other kitchen waiting-around events. Add garlic if you and your friends don’t mind. We’ve just added in a little more phytochemical power. The allylic sulfices in the onions and garlic enhance immune function, zap carcinogens, and help with heart health.

Did you know that soybeans are a high-fat food? Say, Not? Anything that can breed life (beans can sprout, so that’s new life) contains fat. Fat is essential from the beginning! Soybeans are one of the highest fat findings in the bean kingdom: they get almost half of their calories (47%) from fat! And Tofu! Tofu can be nearly fat free, but it also may get over 50% of its calories from fat. Read your labels; knowledge is power!

Soy is worth looking for, and getting into all our diets. Look around. Soy-type weenies, though small, can be lowfat or nonfat and taste very much like the pig kind (made from pork lips and hog jowls -- ugh!). Tofu can be soft, firm or hard, like other things. Choose your texture depending on the way you want to use it. Soft tofu is good for glopping into soups, adding to casseroles, or stuffing into power shakes. Medium and hard types are good chopped or diced into soups, salads, pizzas, burgers (like instead of cheese), and even marinated and fried! Use your imagination; it’s worth it. Again, cheap, bland-to-tasteless, and phytochemical full. There’s a powder I’ve discovered called "Take Care." In the "plain" taste choice I’ve mixed one two scoop serving with about ½ cup of nonfat milk and ½ cup of water, a little honey and blended well. Talk about delicious. If anyting that tastes this good, and this is both good and nutritionally superb, it must be expensive. Not So. One can makes 14 servings and costs $14.89 including shipping, tax and handling. It comes unflavored, or flavored: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. If you order six or more cans, you get a 10% discount. Even at the non-discounted price, you’ll end up paying just over $1.00 per serving. The best news: One serving provides 20 grams of protein and a tiny amount of fat in 100 calories. Take Care; Why Not? Call (800) 445-3350.

Had any Saponins lately? Would you buy a product if this was listed on the ingredient panel? The plant-food locations of this phytochemical are almost boundless. Legumes of all types (including soy), spinach, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, oats and alfalfa. Saponins are found naturally occuring as alkaloids, sterols or triterpene compounds. Remember, these are ingredients you may otherwise have avoided with these long, suspicious-sounding names. Saponins are nice and soothing with a creamy, foamy texture. They seem to protect plants during its growth period "like a natural antibiotic helping to fight infections andmicrobial invasions." Some scientists speculate that this antimicrobial and antifungal power might extend to humans as well. For readers like me, who have something of a "sweet tooth" there’s good news: about 75 of the various different Saponins can be classified as high-potency sweeteners -- as much as 30 to 100 times sweeter than sucrose (white table sugar).

Let’s go for indoles! These are sulphur-containing protective phytochemicals that inhibit cancers, protect arteries and generally offer better overall health. Other sulphur-containing nutrients include molasses, the supplement NAC (which helps form glutathione -- a major antioxidant enzyme) and sulforaphane from broccoli. Other indole sources are cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and collard greens. These tend to block DNA damage by their antioxidant properties, and thus mutants are not created -- the last thing we need is more mutations! All that protease promise and combination cocktails could be totally wasted when resistance (mutation) occurs.

In fact, since our pharmaceutical regimens are preventing resistance by upping the number of drugs in our cocktails; let’s protect the benefits from expensive and difficult drug regimens by buffing-up our antioxidant strength -- we’ll all win and our numbers will continue to improve! All this just by eating powerful food. In fact, that’s how Nutrition Power got its name -- and the produce section of the market is where we’ll be finding Phytochemical Power. That is, when we’re done in the bean section!

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First do no harm: If any of this advice is, or seems to be connected with adverse consequences, contact your primary healthcare provider and/or your nutritionist.

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Nutrition Power is a Registered Trademark of Health and Nutrition Awareness. Copyright 1996, Jennifer Jensen, MS, MBA, RD.. All Rights Reserved.

Other versions of this article have appeared with permission in Being Alive Newsletter and other newsletters.