List of Foods High in Phenols

Phenols, which are naturally occurring compounds found in virtually all foods, give your food its smell, taste and color. They can also be extracted or synthesized by manufacturers to help preserve foods and enhance their flavor. There are more than 500 different compounds and several methods of measuring them, which makes it difficult to exactly state the phenol content of foodstuffs. This leads to high-, medium- or low-phenol food classifications.

Fruit and Fruit Products

• Several varieties of fruit have high levels of phenols including apples, apricots, all berries, red grapes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, plums, tangerines and tomatoes. According to the article "Phenol Antioxidant Quantity and Quality in Foods: Fruits," a team at Scranton University, PA, found that when comparing the fresh weight of fruit, cranberries had a much higher total phenol levels than any other fruits tested.

  In addition, food products made from high-phenol fruits, such as juices, wines, sherries, ciders and vinegars, contain high amounts of phenols.

Nuts

• Almonds and peanuts are the only nuts considered to be high in phenols.

Spices

• Chili, cloves and paprika contain substantial amounts of phenolic compounds.

Beans

• Beans, such as coffee, cocoa and carob, are all high in phenols. All edible items containing these beans, such as chocolate, also contain high amounts of phenols.