Salvestrols and Diet

Research suggests that Salvestrols are produced by plants in response to fungal infection, and are therefore most present at the sites where fungi are likely to attack. In fruits, this means on the skin, as the fruit is ripening. Salvestrol compounds are also present on the surfaces of the roots of many plants, as the roots are continually under threat from fungi in the soil.

It is estimated that we consume today about 10-20% of the Salvestrols which would have occurred in the diet 100 years ago. So, even though we are being urged to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, unless you eat organic you are unlikely to get sufficient Salvestrols from your diet.

The levels of Salvestrols in a typical "5 portion a day" basket of non-organic fruit and vegetables from a supermarket have been measured and found to contain only 10% of the estimated daily dietary requirement. So eating adequate amounts of commercially available fruit and vegetables will not provide the essential nutrients the body needs. Even an organic diet may be inadequate since the varieties of fruit and vegetable commercially available may be types that are low in Salvestrols.

It can be difficult to find food that is high in salvestrols. Different salvestrols are found in varying concentrations and levels of biological activity in fruits like strawberries, oranges, grapes and even cocoa. There are over 550 varieties of oranges, over 200 varieties of strawberries and grapes, and 450 varieties of cocoa bean! All with different levels of Salvestrols, and each with different levels of biological activity.

Examining other likely sources of Salvestrols in the western diet, such as fruit juices, other beverages and processed foods, Salvestrols were again found to be largely absent. In the case of some fruit juices where they should have been present, for example in cranberry juice, it was discovered that the Salvestrols were removed during processing in order to make the product taste sweeter, as most Salvestrols have a sharp or bitter taste.

So, it is currently very difficult to get an adequate intake of Salvestrols without taking a supplement but researchers are working with farmers and agronomists to establish growing conditions that can ensure high levels of Salvestrols in crops. They are also producing a directory of organic foods rich in salvestrols so that people can balance their intake of Salvestrols through a combination of diet and supplementation. In the meantime, Professor Potter has developed a Red and Green Diet which may be helpful to design an organic diet naturally rich in Salvestrols.