Specific Fruit Choices Raise Flavanol Intake — and Most Diets Fall Short
- Previous research, including the large COSMOS clinical trial, found that consuming about 500 milligrams (mg) of flavanols daily was associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and fewer major cardiovascular events. However, note that COSMOS tested a cocoa extract supplement rather than food, enrolled adults aged 60 and older, and the reduction in major cardiovascular events came from a post hoc analysis
- The featured study found following current fruit and vegetable recommendations didn't provide enough flavanols for most people to reach the intake linked with better heart health, showing that which foods you choose affects flavanol intake more than how many servings you eat. Even then, high-flavanol produce did not reliably reach the 500 mg benchmark in the researchers' simulations
- Researchers analyzed more than 30,000 people from the U.S. and United Kingdom using objective laboratory measurements instead of relying only on food questionnaires, giving a more accurate picture of real-world flavanol intake
- Apples, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, pears, plums, green tea, and minimally processed cocoa are among the foods that naturally provide higher amounts of flavanols, making them smart additions to a heart-healthy eating pattern
- Instead of simply eating more produce, rotating a wider variety of flavanol-rich fruits and other plant foods into your meals is an easy way to increase these beneficial compounds while enjoying the many other nutrients whole foods provide
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