A Flavonoid-Rich Diet May Protect Heart

Harry Hirsute · � #1 � 03-19-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

“So far- says Marie-Claire Toufektsian, leading author of the study- the biological and protective activities of various flavonoids have been extensively studied in vitro, on cell- based assays. Nevertheless, this kind of approach has a major limitation: it is extremely difficult to assess precisely the nature of all flavonoids absorbed following consumption of plants present in a given meal.

In other words, laboratory cultured cells alone are not sufficient to study a complex mechanism such as that of absorption of food flavonoids”. That is why we need to turn attention on other features.

The most obvious solution appeared to be to study the effects of this kind of polyphenols on experimental animals. The turning point started from plants: those rich in flavonoids made the case of researchers.

Toufektsian used two kinds of corn: one anthocyanin-free (anthocyanins is a variety of flavonoids) and the other, obtained by the Department of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology of University of Milan through traditional cultivation techniques with no transgenic modifications, rich in anthocyanins.

“The corn seeds were introduced into a rodent food formula in order to obtain two groups of rats following two different kinds of diet for a couple of months” says Chiara Tonelli, head of the Milan group.

In the meantime researchers accurately measured the anthocyanins levels in urine and plasma samples from the two groups of rats by using a method developed by the Research Laboratories at the Catholic University of Campobasso. Then researchers studied the onset and evolution of myocardial infarction induced experimentally in both groups.

“We found – Toufektsian adds – that chronic consumption and effective absorption of anthocyanins rendered the rats more resistant to myocardial infarction; in other words, the size of the infarct was significantly reduced in rats fed the anthocyanin-rich diet”.

The quantity of absorbed anthocyanins is important too. Maria Benedetta Donati, scientific coordinator of the Research Laboratories of Campobasso, argues that “the rats fed the anthocyanin- rich diet received about 13- fold more anthocyanins than most people following a standard Western-type diet, where the daily consumption of flavonoids is relatively low and the average intake of anthocyanins is estimated to be only 12 mg per day”.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-ash031808.php

Harry Hirsute · � #2 � 03-23-2008, 09:38 PM

More evidence:

Quote:

1: J Nutr. 2008 Apr;138(4):753-60.

Serum C-reactive protein concentrations are inversely associated with dietary flavonoid intake in u.s. Adults.

Chun OK, Chung SJ, Claycombe KJ, Song WO.

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 and 3Department of Foods and Nutrition, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea 136-702.

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker for chronic inflammation and a sensitive risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Though CRP has been reported to be related to food intake, there is no documentation of a direct association with flavonoid intake.

We aimed to test the associations between dietary flavonoid intake and serum CRP concentrations among U.S. adults after adjusting for dietary, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors.

Data from the NHANES 1999-2002 were used for this cross-sectional study. Subjects were >/=19-y-old adults (n = 8335), and did not include pregnant and/or lactating women.

Flavonoid intake of U.S. adults was estimated by the USDA flavonoid databases matched with a 24-h dietary recall in NHANES 1999-2002. The serum CRP concentration was higher in women, older adults, blacks, and smokers, and in those with high BMI or low exercise level, and in those taking NSAID, than in their counterparts (P < 0.01). Intakes of apples and vegetables were inversely associated with serum CRP concentrations after adjusting for covariates (P < 0.05).

Total flavonoid and also individual flavonol, anthocyanidin, and isoflavone intakes were inversely associated with serum CRP concentration after adjusting for the covariates (P < 0.05).

Among the flavonoid compounds investigated, quercetin, kaempferol, malvidin, peonidin, daidzein, and genistein had inverse associations with serum CRP concentration (P < 0.05). These associations did not change even after the additional adjustment for fruit and vegetable consumption.

Our findings demonstrate that intake of dietary flavonoids is inversely associated with serum CRP concentrations in U.S. adults. Intake of flavonoid-rich foods may thus reduce inflammation-mediated chronic diseases.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18356331

scorpiotiger · � #3 � 03-24-2008, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Hirsute

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-ash031808.php

sooooo.... organic popcorn is good for my heart?

well, I think I will pop in another dvd!!

Harry Hirsute · � #4 � 03-24-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpiotiger

sooooo.... organic popcorn is good for my heart?

well, I think I will pop in another dvd!!

Talk to Iggy, M.D. about this one. I seem to recall he has a coconut-oil popcorn recipe that might just do the trick.

scorpiotiger · � #5 � 03-24-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Hirsute

Talk to Iggy, M.D. about this one. I seem to recall he has a coconut-oil popcorn recipe that might just do the trick.

actually, I ordered a bunch of organic popping corn a while ago. My son and his friends love it.

but... I didn't care for it cooked with coconut oil

I've made it with gheee... now that is GOOD!!

but iggy did tell me about popcorn salt which is different than regular salt. what I do now is take my mineral salt and grind it or crush it in the mortar. that makes it finer. seems to go on better.

another way to have popcorn:

make popcorn
melt some honey so that it is a thinner consistency- 1/2 or equal to the amount of oil you used
toss popcorn with honey
sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, toss, sprinkle more sesame seeds, toss, until there are some sesame seeds on most of the kernels (how much is a matter of personal preference). the sesame seeds stick to the honey.

the popcorn might be a little sticky, so put out napkins.. and wash your hands before eating.

salt to taste (be careful.. the salt also sticks to the honey.. so don't over salt - you can't shake it to desalt it).

yum.. a little salty, a little sweet, and crunch. (and some minerals along with the flavenoids).

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