Most dietary guidelines recommend five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, but new research suggests that for heart health, which one you choose matters more than how much you eat.
Every healthy diet needs to be a balance of proteins, fiber, carbohydrates and other nutrients found in food and drinks.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Each of these compounds brings different benefits to the body, and there is a certain minimum amount people need to consume for good health.
One of the lesser-known components are flavanols, a group of natural, plant-based compounds that act as antioxidants.
Flavanols support heart health, and previous research found that a daily intake of 500 mg significantly reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
However, a new study published in the Food and Function journal analysed data from more than 30,000 participants across the United Kingdom and the United States, and found that following current dietary guidelines — such as consuming any random five pieces of fruit or vegetables a day — is not enough to achieve beneficial flavanol levels.
"Flavanols can significantly reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only if you consume enough of them,” said Dr Javier Ottaviani, the study's lead author.
“Most people assume that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables covers this, but what this research shows is that the specific choices you make matter far more than the total amount,” he added.
Researchers found that among participants following current recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake and healthy dietary patterns, fewer than 25% consumed at least 500g per day.
They also found barely any difference in flavanol intake between participants with high versus low fruit and vegetable consumption.
How can a healthy diet include good amounts of flavonls?
Flavanols are found in fruits like pome fruits, berries and stone fruits, and in vegetables such as pinto, kidney and fava beans. They are also present in tea and cocoa-derived products.
“Including a handful of blackberries, a whole apple or having a cup of green tea alongside your meal could make a real difference to how much of these beneficial compounds you actually consume and absorb from the diet,” said Ottaviani.
What are the foods with the highest flavanol content?
Not all fruits and vegetables have the same amount of flavanols. Here are the richest sources:
- Plums (500 g) — 450 mg
- Cranberries (250 g) — 300 mg
- Blackberries (200 g) — 250 mg
- Green tea (250ml, one cup) — 200 mg
- Broad beans/fava beans (80 g) — 140 mg
- Cherries (400g, around 30) — 130 mg
- Apples with skin (one medium apple) — 110 mg
- Strawberries (200 g) — 90 mg
- Blueberries (150g, one punnet) — 80 mg
- Pinto beans (40g, two dry tablespoons) — 70 mg
“Different fruits and vegetables offer very different nutritional benefits beyond vitamins and minerals, and as our understanding of these compounds grows, there is a real opportunity to make dietary guidance more specific and more effective,” said Professor Gunter Kuhnle of the University of Reading.
