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Chocolate as a source of tea flavonoids
Lancet (London, England)
|August 28, 1999
Summary
Chocolate contains high levels of the antioxidant catechin, four times that of tea. While tea is a major source, chocolate also significantly contributes to dietary catechin intake, impacting health studies.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Food Chemistry
Background:
- Catechins are antioxidants found in various foods, notably tea and chocolate.
- Dietary intake assessments are crucial for understanding the health impacts of antioxidants.
Discussion:
- Chocolate possesses a higher concentration of catechins than tea.
- Chocolate represents a significant, yet often overlooked, dietary source of catechins.
- Epidemiological studies on tea's health benefits may require broader consideration of other catechin sources.
Key Insights:
- The antioxidant catechin content of chocolate is four times that of tea.
- Chocolate contributed 20% of the catechin intake in a representative sample of the Dutch population.
- Tea contributes 55% to the overall catechin intake in the Dutch population.
Outlook:
- Future research should investigate the bioavailability and health impacts of catechins from chocolate.
- Dietary guidelines and health assessments should acknowledge chocolate as a relevant source of catechins.
- Comparative studies on the health effects of catechins from different food sources are warranted.
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