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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Epigenomics. 2011 Aug 1;3(4):503–518. doi: 10.2217/epi.11.71

Table 1.

Bioactive epigenetic diet compounds, food sources and epigenetic functions.

Epigenetic diet compounds Food sources Epigenetic functions
EC, ECG, EGC and EGCG Green tea DNMT and HAT inhibitor, modulates miRNA
Resveratrol Grapes, peanuts, mulberries, cranberries, blueberries DNMT and HDAC inhibitor
Curcumin Tumeric, curry DNMT inhibitor and miRNA modulator
Genistein Soybeans, fava beans DNMT and HDAC inhibitor, enhances HATs, modulates miRNA
Isothiocyanates, sulforaphane Broccoli, cabbage, kale, watercress DNMT and HDAC inhibitor
Selenium Brazilian nuts, chicken, game meat, beef DNMT and HDAC inhibitor
Allyl mercaptan, organosulfur compounds Garlic HDAC inhibitor
Folate Beans, grains, fortified breakfast cereals, pastas, green vegetables Deficiencies alter DNA methylation patterns
Alcohol Alcoholic beverages High consumption increases promoter hypermethylation

DNMT: DNA methyltransferase; EC: Epicatechin; ECG: Epicatechin-3-gallate; EGC: Epigallocatechin; EGCG: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate; HAT: Histone acetyltransferase; HDAC: Histone deacetylase.