The Fruits and Veggies With the Most Heart-Protective Flavanols

Eating a flavanol-rich diet can support heart health. Here’s how to do it.

You’ve got your daily diet down to a science: a fruit smoothie in the morning, a banana as an afternoon snack, and yogurt and berries with dinner. While you’re getting in all the recommended servings of fruit a day, you may be missing out on heart-healthy compounds.  Certain foods are higher in antioxidants known as flavanols, and flavanol-rich produce is important for heart health.

Recent research points out not all produce is created equal, and getting “enough” fruits and veggies doesn’t actually mean you’re reaping all the heart-healthy benefits these antioxidants can offer. Here’s what to know about adding flavanol-rich produce to your diet to protect your ticker. 

What You Should Know About Flavanols

Flavanols are a type of flavonoids known for their antioxidant properties. These natural compounds create vibrant hues of many fruits, veggies, and flowers. Research published in Hypertension in 2021 found that a higher intake of flavonoid-rich foods, like apples, berries, and pears, was associated with lower blood pressure. And, previous research, a study on polyphenols called COSMOS, suggests that you need 500 mg of flavanols daily to effectively lower your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, and can reduce this risk by up to 27 percent.

But turns out, even those who eat a healthy diet may not be hitting this target. A recent study published in Food and Function found most people fall short of that 500 mg target, even when they follow standard healthy-eating guidance like the recommended servings of fruit.

“Flavanols can significantly reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only if you consume enough of them,” Javier Ottaviani, Ph.D., the paper’s lead author said in a press statement. “Most people assume that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables covers this, but what this research shows is that the specific choices you make matter far more than the total amount.”

Going Deeper: The Highest-Flavanol Picks

Researchers used data from the COSMOS trial as well as an ongoing (EPIC)-Norfolk and tracked about 30,000 people in the UK and U.S. to see if people who adhered to the daily recommendations of fruits and veggies (two to three servings in the U.S. and five portions in the U.K.) were getting enough flavanols in their daily diet to protect their heart health. They found that even for those who reported intake of plenty of fruits and vegetables, a very low number of people were seeing benefits from flavanols that would protect their tickers. 

The research highlights a need to be a little picky when it comes to choosing what makes it into your daily diet, since not all foods are high in flavanols, and not all flavanols are created equal. For example, drinking about 2.5 cups of green tea per day would provide you with 500mg of flavanols, but instead it’s better to get them from a variety of foods.

“Including a handful of blackberries, a whole apple or having a cup of green tea alongside your meal could make a real difference to how much of these beneficial compounds you actually consume and absorb from the diet,” Ottaviani said.  

Flavanol content varies widely from food to food. Plums top the list at about 450 mg per 500 g, followed by 250 g of cranberries at about 300 mg and 200 g of blackberries (about 1.5 cups) at about 250 mg. A cup of green tea delivers around 200 mg, and 80 g of broad or fava beans about 140 mg. From there: 400 g of cherries (about two cups) provide roughly 130 mg, one medium apple with skin (200 g) about 110 mg, 200 g of strawberries about 90 mg, 150 g of blueberries about 80 mg, and 40 g of pinto beans about 70 mg.

All fruits can fit into a healthy diet, but regularly choosing flavanol-rich options like berries and apples may offer added cardiovascular benefits. This isn’t about chasing a few “superfoods.” Being a little more intentional within an overall balanced, plant-rich diet is what refines which foods add an extra layer of heart protection.

The Takeaway

Rather than being concerned about totally changing your diet to include flavanol-rich foods only, pick one or two favorites and make them a staple. Find enjoyable options like berries at breakfast, cherries as a snack, or a daily cup of green tea you can stick to. This will help you keep consistent, and up your fruit and veggie intake overall. Flavanol intake should also come from food, not supplements. 

Bottom Line

Dietary intake of flavanols is linked to many heart health benefits including lower blood pressure and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular events. While it’s important to keep in mind some produce delivers far more heart-protective flavanols per serving than others, your first focus should be eating enough produce to hit daily recommended guidelines. After that, you can focus on the types of produce you’re adding, and aim to eat more flavanol-rich options throughout the day.