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Ellagic Acid's
Properties
Ellagic Acid is a
phenolic compound that has become a known as a potent anti-oxdiant
compound. Ellagic acid itself is not thought to be naturally
present in plants. Instead, polymers of gallic acid and
hexahydroxydipenoyl (HHDP) are linked to glucose centers to
form the class of compounds known as ellagitannins. When two
gallic acid groups become linked side-by-side within a
tannin molecule and HHDP group is formed.
Ellagic acid is the result when the HHDP group is cleaved
from the tannin molecule and spontaneously rearranges. It is
the ellagitannins that are present in red raspberries. Some
articles in which ellagitannins are quantified refer to
ellagic acid because quantitation of ellagitannins is done
by breaking them down into ellagic acid subunits and
quantifying the subunits.
The Meeker red raspberry is the best source of ellagic acid
followed by Chilliwack and Willamette. The Meeker variety is
specific to the Pacific Northwest---grown primarily for
commercial use in Washington State. The Chilliwack and
Willamette varieties contain lesser variations of ellagic
acid. Both of these varieties are grown in the Pacific
Northwest and may be found in lesser volumes outside the
United States.
Ellagic acid (micrograms/gram dry weight)
|
Fruit |
Seeds |
Pulp |
Whole |
|
Meeker |
8.40 |
3.36 |
4.31 |
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Chilliwack |
7.78 |
2.58 |
3.39 |
|
Willamette |
8.13 |
2.05 |
2.91 |
|
Average |
8.10 |
2.66 |
3.54 |
The availability to the body of ellagic acid from dietary
sources has only been confirmed with red raspberries. Other
foods such as strawberries, pomegranates, and walnuts
contain far lesser amounts ellagic acid yet the
bioavailability has not been confirmed.
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How
does ellagic acid work?
Ellagic acid acts as a scavenger to "bind"
free-radicals, making them inactive.
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Ellagic Acid Chemical Composition

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Click Here to return to the raspberry library page.
Source: Washington Red Raspberry Commission |