Effect of Dietary Components on the Bioavailability of Catechins and the Application of Polyphenol Synergism

Catechins are phenolic compounds with various health benefits such as anti-allergic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial. However, catechins have poor thermal stability and low bioavailability. Besides, dietary intake of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and other substances is prone to interact with catechins in the gastrointestinal tract, affecting the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion process of catechins, which affects their bioavailability and physiological activity. In addition, synergistic effects may occur when two or more natural polyphenolic compounds are applied in combination, including inhibition of food production and processing contaminants, weight loss, hypoglycemia, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Therefore, this paper mainly reviews the effects of dietary components on the bioavailability of catechins and elucidates the mechanisms of interaction between catechins and dietary polyphenols and the application prospects in synergistic effects.