Antioxidant Flavonoids in Foods and Their Relation with Coronary Heart Disease and Cancer

Abstract: Flavonoids are polyphenols ubiquitously present in foods of vegetable origin. Some flavonoids such as the flavonols quercetin and kaempferol inhibit chemically induced carcinogenesis in rodents. Flavonoids are strong antioxidants and scavengers of free radicals. Free radicals are possibly involved in the development of both cancer and coronary heart disease. Antioxidant flavonoids in the diet could therefore contribute to the prevention of these diseases. We therefore decided to determine the flavonoid content of several foods and investigate the relation between flavonoid intake and risk of cancer and coronary heart disease in humans. For this purpose we used data from a prospective cohort study among elderly men, the Zutphen Study, and from a cross-cultural study, the Seven Countries Study. We conclude that flavonoids contribute to the antioxidant Potential of the human diet and tea, red wine, and onions are the main dietary sources of flavonoids. The results of both the prospective cohort study and the cross-cultural study suggest that flavonoid consumption may reduce risk of coronary disease, but that it does not seem to be an important determinant of cancer risk. However, additional experimental, clinical, and epidemiological evidence is needed before firm conclusions on the health benefits of flavonoids can be drawn.

Keyword(s): Flavonoide

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