According to a study in this months American Journal of Clinical Nutrition regular consumption of bioflavonoids may help protect postmenopausal women from heart disease and stroke. Bioflavonoids are anti-inflammatory and can help to lower the bad cholesterol or LDL.
Heart disease is the number two killer of women in the US. Myocardial infarctions, or heart attacks and stroke are one of the leading causes of hospital admissions each year. Many factors contribute to the development of heart disease in women, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and family predisposition.
Recently more research has been focused on the causes or factors involved in the development of heart disease in women. And within this research doctors and scientists have been trying to determine how to prevent the onset of heart disease.
Information about diet and heart disease incidence was gathered from more than 34,000 in the Iowa Women's Health Study. Then the total flavonoid content of the food was determined and compared to to heart disease incidence over the follow-up period of 16 years.
Diets high in flavonoids were linked to a 10-22 percent decrease in heart disease, coronary artery disease, and stroke in postmenopausal women. The most notable flavonoids to offer this protection were anthocyanidins, flavones, and flavanones.
Many dark fruits and vegetables are high in flavonoids, as are onions, garlic, and chocolate.
The authors were pleased with the findings, but suggest that further studies are needed to solidify the relationship between flavonoid intake and heart disease risk.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on March 29, 2007 01:58 PM
