Bioactive Compounds

373 bioactive compounds extracted from 9 leading longevity and nutrition books, organized by type. Each compound card shows the foods it's found in, the health conditions it influences, and the biological mechanisms it activates.

Most Researched Compounds

Dietary fiber

15 foods · 39 conditions

Indigestible carbohydrate found in all whole plant foods, most concentrated in legumes and whole grains. Gut bacteria ferment it into short-chain fatty acids like acetic acid and butyrate.

Omega-3 fatty acids

20 foods · 16 conditions

Found in fish; scores as anti-inflammatory in the Dietary Inflammatory Index but only appears to help among those with chronic disease. Fish oil supplements in healthy people showed no benefit.

Anthocyanins

13 foods · 20 conditions

Brightly colored pigments in berries (red, blue, purple) with potent anti-inflammatory effects demonstrated in dozens of randomized controlled trials.

Vitamin D

9 foods · 20 conditions

800 to 2000 IU daily recommended if blood level under 20 ng/mL; shown to benefit telomeres in two RCTs

Vitamin C

15 foods · 13 conditions

Most abundant antioxidant in the body; optimal intake about 200 mg/day from 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables

Resveratrol

11 foods · 16 conditions

Concentrated in grape skins; largely disappointing in human clinical trials; may blunt exercise benefits at supplement doses

Spermidine

14 foods · 10 conditions

A potent autophagy activator found in plants, fermented foods, and produced by gut bacteria. Levels decline with age by more than half by the fifties. The nutrient most predictive of longevity in one 20-year study; top third of intake was associated with being 5.7 years biologically younger.

Vitamin B12

13 foods · 10 conditions

Critical for plant-based dieters to supplement; deficiency causes elevated homocysteine and increased oxidative stress

Browse by Type

Phytochemicals (76)

Plant-derived compounds like polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids that protect against oxidative stress and inflammation.

Vitamins (21)

Essential micronutrients the body can't synthesize in sufficient quantities, each with distinct roles in longevity.

Amino Acids (20)

Building blocks of protein, including branched-chain and longevity-linked amino acids.

Fatty Acids (17)

Dietary fats including omega-3s, omega-6s, and monounsaturates that shape cardiovascular and brain health.

Minerals (13)

Essential minerals the body uses for enzymatic, structural, and signaling functions.

Fiber (8)

Soluble and insoluble fibers that feed the gut microbiome and regulate metabolism.

Probiotics (6)

Live microorganisms that influence gut health, immunity, and inflammation.

Other Compounds (212)

Bioactive molecules that don't fit a single classification but appear in the longevity literature.