The content of antioxidants of phenolic type in different types of vegetable raw materials and foodstuff and their influence on a human body is considered. It is shown that for determination of antioxidants chromatographic, electrochemical and spectroscopic methods find application. The broadest application among the chromatographic methods finds method of thin-layer chromatography and HPLC with fluorescent, UF- and mass-spectrometric detectors. Detection limit make 1-10 mkg/ml. From electrochemical methods the cathodic and pulse voltamperometry, amperometric titration find application. These methods differ in high sensitivity, simplicity and selectivity. For the analysis of compound objects the method of a capillary electrophoresis is used, which in some cases allows to exclude a sample preparation stage, and also to carry out definition in wider range of pH values, than in the HPLC method. For the analysis of compound objects the method of a capillary electrophoresis is used, which in some cases allows to exclude a sample preparation stage, and also to carry out definition in wider range of pH values, than in the HPLC method. At the heart of spectroscopic methods, reactions of receiving chromophores generally lie. A sensitive method of definition of polyphenols is hemilyuminestsentny. Recently the sorption-spectroscopic method develops. The method assumes use of own luminescence of ligands as well as sensibilized by an organic ligand a luminescence of ions of Tb (III), as, for example, when determining vanillin, gallic acid, a propilgallat, sum of polyphenolic сompounds. At a choice of a technique of definition of polyphenolic сompounds it is necessary to consider structure of a matrix, selectivity, rapidity, sensitivity of the chosen technique, and also availability of hardware registration.