A new study has revealed that combining certain berries with green tea could significantly lower the risk of dying from heart disease. The research, published in the journal Food and Function, highlights that fewer than 20% of people consume enough flavanols—natural compounds linked to cardiovascular benefits—to achieve protection.
Study findings on flavanol intake
The major international study analyzed dietary data from more than 30,000 people in the UK and US. It found that less than 20% of participants reached the flavanol consumption level associated with cardiovascular health benefits. Even many individuals who routinely ate the recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables did not meet the threshold.
Foods rich in flavanols include blueberries, blackberries, and cherries. Experts suggest that consuming these alongside a cup of green tea can boost flavanol intake.
Expert commentary
Dr Javier Ottaviani, the study's lead author, stated: "Flavanols can significantly reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only if you consume enough of them. 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: "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."
Top dietary sources of flavanols
Researchers identified the following as some of the richest dietary sources of flavanols per serving:
- Plums (500g, roughly one punnet): 450mg
- Cranberries (250g, roughly one punnet): 300mg
- Blackberries (200g, roughly one punnet): 250mg
- Green tea (one 250ml cup): 200mg
- Broad beans/fava beans (80g, a small handful): 140mg
- Cherries (400g, roughly one punnet): 130mg
- Apples with skin (200g, one medium apple): 110mg
- Strawberries (200g, roughly one punnet): 90mg
- Blueberries (150g, roughly one punnet): 80mg
- Pinto beans (40g, two tablespoons dry): 70mg
Implications for dietary guidelines
Study author Professor Gunter Kuhnle, from the University of Reading, said: "Five-a-day is the right message, but we may need to think more carefully about which five. 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. This research is a step towards understanding what that might look like in practice."
