Abstract: Polyphenols are mainly distributed in the plant kingdom, and they are a kind of complex compounds composed of multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups, which have antioxidant, hypoglycemic, bacteriostatic and other physiological activities. In this paper, the distribution of polyphenols in nature, the interaction between polyphenols and starch, the inhibitory effect of polyphenols on amylase and the bioavailability of polyphenols were reviewed, and the future research was prospected to provide reference for the development of new functional foods for obese and diabetics patients.