Brightly colored fruits and vegetables aren’t just great for an aesthetic farmers’ market photo—they’re also excellent sources of flavonoids, chemical structures with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
“As long as you are incorporating fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks, you will be consuming flavonoids,” says Jasmine Hormati, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Mendinground Nutrition in New York City. “If you are able to have a variety of fruits and vegetables, even better.” So, if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for your next grocery haul, here are 10 foods rich in flavonoids.
What are flavonoids?
“Flavonoids are natural chemical structures found in vegetables, fruits, beans, wine, and more,” says Hormati. There are different subgroups of flavonoids based on chemical composition and structure, such as flavones, flavonols, isoflavones, flavanols, anthocyanins, and catechins, she adds.
More broadly, flavonoids are a type of polyphenol that can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
According to a scientific review published in 2020, flavonoids in plants help fight oxidative stress, serve as UV filters, give fruits and flowers their colors and aromas, and more. For humans, they translate to a variety of health benefits.
What are the benefits of flavonoids?
A 2016 scientific review of flavonoids reported that they have “anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic properties.” As antioxidants, flavonoids neutralize free radicals (which are unstable atoms or molecules in the body that can cause oxidative stress). By reducing oxidative stress, flavonoids have been linked to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and to potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, per a 2022 scientific review.
In addition, the flavonoid quercetin has been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, while others have been found to improve the immune system.
10 foods rich in flavonoids
Berries
Berries across the board are fantastic sources of flavonoids. According to the USDA, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, and cherries (more on those later) all contain more than 80 milligrams of anthocyanidins per 100 grams in addition to other types of flavonoids.
Parsley
According to the USDA, the garnish parsley contains high levels of the flavone apigenin. It’s also a good source of vitamins C, A, and K, to help with collagen synthesis, your immune system, bone strength, and more.
Capers
The journal Pharmaceuticals reports that capers (a common ingredient in salads, pastas, and more) have an impressive 180.7 milligrams of the flavonol quercetin per 100 grams.
Red cabbage
Red cabbage gets its deep purple color from an anthocyanin called cyanidin, according to a 2004 study, which makes it a more valuable source of flavonoids than green cabbage. That’s not the only benefit, though; raw red cabbage also has 53.9 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, the USDA reports.
Red onion
A 2025 study reported that red onions “contain the highest levels of quercetin, primarily in their outer layers.” It also noted that Tropea red onions, specifically those from Calabria, Italy, “are particularly rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids (especially quercetin), and phenolic compounds, offering superior antioxidant properties and potential cardiovascular benefits.”
Tea
A 2019 study reported that both green and black tea are high in flavonoids, but green tea contains more catechins. And don’t worry, matcha fans, a 2020 study found it’s a rich source of flavonoids, too.
Cherries
Both sweet and tart cherries are great sources of anthocyanidins and catechins. The Cleveland Clinic notes they’re also packed with other antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E.
Oranges
“Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons are rich in flavanones,” Hormati says. Flavanones are especially known for “their free radical-scavenging properties,” the 2016 review notes, adding that citrus flavonoids are known not only for being antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, but also for lowering cholesterol and blood lipid levels.
