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