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Rainbow food and phytonutrients

  • Dr. Robert Verkerk
    Dr. Robert Verkerk

    Robert Verkerk is a leading scientist in the healthcare field and is the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health.

    Robert is an internationally acclaimed scientist with over 25 years experience in the field of agricultural and healthcare sustainability, having worked in academia, industry and the not-for-profit sector. He has worked extensively in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Americas as well as Europe. After leaving Imperial College London in 2002, he founded the Alliance for Natural Health, which he has headed since.

  • 3:03 reading time (ish)
  • Cleansing & Metabolising Digestion & Nutrition Mobility & Fitness

Written by Dr Robert Verkerk

Many of the very compounds that protect plants from attack also have an immensely beneficial and protective effect on the humans that ingest them; these are phytonutrients. Read on to find out more.

Just like humans, plants have primary life processes (organic compounds known as primary metabolites) without which they wouldnā€™t be able to sustain life, and secondary life processes that, although not critical to life, do ensure their long-term survival. These secondary metabolites are ones that exist to help protect the plant from the ravages of pests and diseases. These range from insects and mites, to nematodes (root-infesting worms) through to pathogenic microorganisms, including particular types of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Dr. Robert Verkerk

Robert Verkerk is a leading scientist in the healthcare field and is the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health. Robert is an internationally acclaimed scientist with over 25 years experience in... Read more

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