Overview
- The Food & Function study, published Monday, analysed dietary and biomarker data from more than 30,000 participants in the UK and US and found fewer than one in five reached flavanol amounts associated with lower cardiovascular risk.
- Researchers quantified flavanol per portion and identified high‑yield items — plums (about 450 mg per punnet), cranberries (≈300 mg), blackberries (≈250 mg), a 250 ml cup of green tea (≈200 mg), and a small handful of broad beans (≈140 mg).
- Authors and dietitians said food choice matters more than quantity and suggested swapping in flavanol‑rich fruits, tea and legumes to raise intake while keeping a varied plant‑rich diet.
- Experts and charities warned that existing evidence is not definitive: small trials and one large study show promising vascular or mortality signals but more randomized trials are needed before changing public guidance.
- Public interpretation is complicated by wide variation in flavanol content from growing and storage conditions, differences in how gut bacteria process flavanols, and disclosed past research links between the team and Mars Inc.