Functional foods and cardiovascular risk
Researchers from the University of Milano, Italy, list what we know.
First, the details.
- Beyond adequate nutritional, functional foods should improve the state of health and wellbeing and/or reduce the risk of disease.
- Functional foods marketed with claims of heart disease reduction focus primarily on the major risk factors — cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
And, the results.
- Phytosterols and stanols
- Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Soya protein
- Lowers cholesterol in people with very high initial cholesterol blood levels
- Favorable effect on the metabolic syndrome — a combination of disorders that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Significant lowering of triglyceride blood levels
- Dark chocolate
- Prevents abnormal cholesterol levels, as well as high blood pressure
- Tea and coffee
- Benefits not confirmed
- Vitamin E, garlic, fenugreek and policosanols
- Effects on abnormal cholesterol levels and prevention of arterial disease are controversial
The bottom line?
I think the “controversy” over policosanol was resolved 2 years ago.
Another recent reiew can be found here.
4/4/10 19:13 JR