Tasty and good for your heart
King's College London
Higher intake of polyphenol-rich foods was linked to better
heart health and slower increases in cardiovascular risk during aging.
Metabolite analysis confirmed the protective effects of key plant compounds
like flavonoids and phenolic acids. Credit: Shutterstock
People who frequently include foods and beverages rich in
polyphenols, such as tea, coffee, berries, cocoa, nuts, whole grains and olive
oil, may experience better heart health over time.
A team from King's College London reported that individuals who followed dietary patterns high in polyphenols had lower predicted cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds
associated with a wide range of health benefits, including support for the
heart, brain, and gut.
Long-Term Findings From a Large UK Cohort
The study, published recently in BMC Medicine,
tracked more than 3,100 adults from the TwinsUK cohort for more than ten years.
It found that diets rich in certain groups of polyphenols were linked to
healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which contributed to lower CVD
risk scores.
For the first time, the researchers also assessed a large
set of urine metabolites that appear when the body processes polyphenols.
These biomarkers showed that people with higher levels of
polyphenol metabolites (especially those linked to flavonoids and phenolic
acids) had lower cardiovascular risk scores. They also tended to have higher
HDL cholesterol, also known as 'good' cholesterol.
A New Scoring Tool to Measure Polyphenol Intake
To better understand dietary patterns, the researchers used
a newly designed polyphenol dietary score (PPS). This score reflects intake of
20 common polyphenol-rich foods in the UK, including tea, coffee, berries,
olive oil, nuts, and whole grains.
The PPS demonstrated stronger links to cardiovascular health
than estimates of total polyphenol intake. The team suggested that this may be
because the PPS captures overall eating habits rather than focusing on single
compounds. This supports the idea that looking at the full diet provides a
clearer picture of how polyphenol-rich foods collectively contribute to
long-term heart health.
Expert Perspectives on Heart Benefits
Professor Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, senior author and Professor
of Human Nutrition at King's College London, said: "Our findings show that
long-term adherence to polyphenol-rich diets can substantially slow the rise in
cardiovascular risk as people age. Even small, sustained shifts towards foods
like berries, tea, coffee, nuts, and whole grains may help protect the heart
over time."
Dr. Yong Li, first author of the study, added: "This
research provides strong evidence that regularly including polyphenol-rich
foods in your diet is a simple and effective way to support heart health. These
plant compounds are widely available in everyday foods, making this a practical
strategy for most people."
Connection Between Aging and Cardiovascular Risk
The researchers noted that although cardiovascular risk
naturally increases with age, participants with higher polyphenol intake
experienced a slower rise in risk across the 11-year follow-up period. They
also highlighted the importance of future dietary intervention trials to
confirm and expand on these findings.
Journal Reference:
- Yong Li, Xinyu Yan, Yifan Xu, Robert Pope, Tim D Spector, Mario Falchi, Claire J Steves, Jordana T Bell, Kerrin S Small, Cristina Menni, Rachel Gibson, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos. Higher adherence to (poly)phenol-rich diet is associated with lower CVD risk in the TwinsUK cohort. BMC Medicine, 2025; 23 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12916-025-04481-5
