Dietary Analysis Software for Polyphenol Quantification

Several tools can help with quantifying polyphenol intake based on food diaries. Some of the most commonly used ones include:

-Food Processor (ESHA Research)

Food Processor is a widely used software for dietary analysis, and it includes databases that can be customized with polyphenol content, though it might not have specific polyphenol data for all foods by default. This software can analyze food diaries and estimate the intake of various nutrients, including polyphenols, if the user can input polyphenol content or use available food composition data.

-NutritionData (Self.com)

NutritionData provides detailed nutrient and antioxidant profiles for foods, including polyphenol content. This tool allows users to estimate polyphenol intake by searching specific foods and adding them to food diaries. However, it may not always include comprehensive or specific polyphenol data for every food item.

-MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a popular app for tracking food intake and estimating nutritional content. It may not provide detailed polyphenol data directly but could allow users to enter known values for polyphenol content in foods manually if those values are available in a secondary database or from research studies.

-NDSR (Nutrition Data System for Research)

This software, developed by the University of Minnesota, is often used in research settings and includes detailed nutrient profiles. It might include polyphenol data, but the quality of this data depends on the version of the database used and the foods in question. It is a robust tool for diet assessment in research.

Polyphenol Databases and Resources

To effectively quantify polyphenol intake, it helps to reference a polyphenol database. Some key polyphenol-specific databases include:

Phenol-Explorer: An online database that provides detailed information on the polyphenol content of over 1,000 foods, which can be helpful when cross-referencing with food diaries.

Polyphenol Database (Korean Food and Drug Administration) : Another database focusing on polyphenols in foods, which can be used in combination with dietary analysis software.

USDA Food Database : While not specifically focused on polyphenols, the USDA database offers detailed nutritional information for a wide range of foods. Supplementing this with polyphenol content (either manually or through other sources) can give estimates for polyphenol intake.

Quantification Process

To quantify polyphenol intake from food diaries, you can follow these steps:

Track Food Intake : Keep a detailed record of all foods consumed using a food diary or dietary tracking software.

Identify Polyphenol-Rich Foods: Focus on foods known to be high in polyphenols, such as fruits (e.g., berries, apples), vegetables (e.g., spinach, broccoli), beverages (e.g., tea, coffee), and whole grains.

Match Foods to Database Values : Use a polyphenol database (such as Phenol-Explorer) to find the polyphenol content of the foods listed in the food diary.

Input into Dietary Analysis Software : Enter the food items into a dietary analysis tool (like Food Processor or NDSR) that can calculate nutrient intake. If polyphenol data isn't built into the software, manually add the polyphenol values using the food database.

Calculate Total Polyphenol Intake : The software will calculate the total polyphenol intake for the day, week, or another time period, based on the amounts of each polyphenol-rich food consumed.

Polyphenol quantification from food diaries is a relatively specialized function, and only a few dietary analysis tools support it, mainly those linked to comprehensive food composition databases like Phenol-Explorer. Here are the most relevant options:

✅ 1. DIETARY ASSESSMENT TOOLS THAT SUPPORT POLYPHENOL ANALYSIS

1.1. DIETary Assessment Tool (DIET@NET/Intake24)

• Origin: Developed by researchers in the UK.
• Features: Collects 24-hour dietary recalls. Can be linked with databases that contain polyphenol data like Phenol-Explorer.
• Polyphenol support: Indirect—depends on how the researcher customizes the database.
• Use: Research studies, not typically for general clinical use.

**1.2. Polyphenol Explorer (via Phenol-Explorer Database + Excel/SPSS)

• Website: www.phenol-explorer.eu
• What it is: Not a software but a comprehensive database of polyphenol contents in foods.
• How to use it: Extract food consumption data from food diaries. Match food items with those in Phenol-Explorer. Quantify intake using Excel, R, or SPSS.
• Polyphenol quantification: Highly detailed, includes multiple classes of polyphenols.
• Use: Most widely used approach in research.

✅ 2. NUTRITION SOFTWARE THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED FOR POLYPHENOLS

2.1. NutriSurvey / NutriSoft

• Customization: You can import your own food composition tables.
• Use: If you import the Phenol-Explorer data, you can compute polyphenol intake.
• Limitations: Manual effort is required for integration.

2.2. Food Processor by ESHA

• Primary Use: Clinical and educational nutrition analysis.
• Polyphenol support: Not included in standard database.
• Workaround: You can create a custom database for foods with known polyphenol contents.

✅ 3. R and Python Scripts Using Phenol-Explorer

• Researchers frequently use R or Python scripts to: Parse dietary intake data. Link with Phenol-Explorer data. Calculate total and class-specific polyphenol intakes.
• Pros: Full flexibility.
• Cons: Requires coding knowledge.

Hello, a few years ago I developed a mini tool in Excel to make daily calculations easier. It's very basic, but it might be useful to you. doi: 10.1017/S136898002100183X.