A large international study has found that fewer than one in five people consume enough flavanols to gain heart health benefits, even when meeting standard fruit and vegetable guidelines.
Researchers from the University of Reading, Harvard Medical School, the University of California Davis and Mars, Inc. analyzed dietary data from more than 30,000 people in the United Kingdom and the United States. The findings were published on June 8, 2026, in the journal Food and Function.
The study used biomarker measurements and concluded that specific food choices matter more than total fruit and vegetable intake. Foods such as plums, blackberries, broad beans, cherries, apples with skin and green tea were identified as top sources.
Dr. Javier Ottaviani, the lead author, said that flavanols can reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease but only when consumed in sufficient amounts. Professor Gunter Kuhnle of the University of Reading added that dietary guidance may need to become more specific about which fruits and vegetables provide these compounds.
Earlier research, including the COSMOS trial, linked a daily intake of 500 milligrams of flavanols to lower cardiovascular mortality risk.
