Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Flavonoid-rich diets may help reduce heart disease

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Foods rich in flavonoids -- from apples and pears to dark chocolate and red wine -- may help shield postmenopausal women from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke, a new study shows.
Flavonoids are antioxidant compounds, found in many plant-based foods, and have been hypothesized to protect the heart by reducing levels of low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol and reducing inflammation, Dr. Pamela J. Mink of Exponent, Inc., and colleagues note. But studies investigating heart health and flavonoid levels in the diet have had mixed results, they add in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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