What term describes a plant chemical that may assist the body in preventing or fighting diseases?

Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds found in plants that provide various health benefits, including potential roles in disease prevention and management. These compounds can support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and act as antioxidants, thereby aiding the body in combating various diseases. Phytonutrients contribute to the overall nutritional value of plant-based foods and are thought to enhance health beyond basic nutrition.

While antioxidants are indeed a type of phytonutrient that specifically helps to protect cells from damage by free radicals, the broader category of phytonutrients encompasses a wider range of compounds including flavonoids, carotenoids, and others. Enzymes, on the other hand, are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions in the body, and minerals are inorganic nutrients essential for various bodily functions but do not carry the same disease-prevention properties associated with plant-derived phytonutrients. Thus, the term that best captures the plant chemicals that assist the body in preventing or fighting diseases is phytonutrient.