Current Dietary Guidelines May Not Be Enough to Protect Your Heart
A new study reveals that even carefully following official dietary advice might not provide enough flavanols to reduce cardiovascular risk.
The Research Findings:
Only about 19% of participants in a US trial and 18% of participants in a UK cohort achieved the 500 mg per day threshold of flavanols—the amount linked to heart health benefits.
Even careful eaters fell short:
Among participants with the highest fruit and vegetable intake, only 16-21% met the target.
The Core Problem:
Computer simulations showed that commonly eaten fruits and vegetables are simply unlikely to provide 500 mg/day of flavanols, even when consumed in recommended amounts.
"Current dietary guidelines are not sufficient to achieve the flavanol intake levels associated with reduced cardiovascular risk."
The Proposed Solution:
Researchers are now calling for specific dietary reference values for flavanols—separate from general fruit and vegetable recommendations.
Key Background:
- Flavanols are a subclass of flavonoids found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and cocoa
- The study used validated urinary biomarkers for accuracy
- Data came from two large cohorts: the COSMOS trial (US) and the EPIC-Norfolk cohort (UK)
- The research was published in the journal Food and Function