Just as we had gotten used to the idea of eating ourfive-a-day, new research has revealed that, actually, these five a day need to contain a specific micronutrient to be truly effective
Now, of course, all fruit and vegetables are good for you and there is no reason to cut any out. However, according to thestudy, undertaken by scientists from Harvard University and the University of Reading, found that many of us aren’t getting the recommended amount of flavanols that we need every day
Hang on a minute, what are flavanols?
Writing on the<a href="https://research.reading.ac.uk/research-blog/2023/06/22/flavanols-are-linked-to-better-memory-and-heart-health-heres-what-foods-you-can-eat-to-get-these-benefits/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>University of Readingwebsite, Gunter Kuhnie, a Professor of Nutrition and Food Science says: “Flavanols are a group of compounds that are found in many plants – including apples, berries, plums and even beverages such astea.”
He adds: “People who eat a diet high in flavanol-rich foods may have better memory compared to those who have a low intake. Astudyalso found that people with a low intake of flavanols were at higher risk ofheart disease.Overall, there’s convincing evidence that consuming enough flavanols has health benefits.”
So, which foods are high in flavanols?
Web MD explains: “Flavanols are also called flavan-3-ols or catechins. Black tea, oolong tea, and chocolate are rich in catechins. They’re also found in fruits, including:
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Apples
- Pears
It’s still not as simple as it seems
Speaking to theBBC, Dell Stanford, from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), says how much flavanol is contained in different products depends on where the food is grown, the climate, its ripeness, and how it is stored or processed – and also on who is eating it
Cool, cool, cool
“Small amounts are absorbed directly. Our gut bacteria help break down flavanols into forms the body can use, but everyone’s gut bacteria are different, so the benefits people get from flavanols may vary too.”
The BHF and theBritish Nutrition Foundationsay the best way to support your heart health is to follow established advice to eat a balanced diet containing a wide variety offruit and vegetables
The BHF also has aquizfor finding out if you have a healthy diet, and tips on improving your diet to improve heart health
Brb, brewing some green tea
