ABSTRACT
Disease and Diabetes.................................................................... 145 5.4.3 Flavanols and Procyanidins and NF-κB in Infl ammatory
Bowel Disease .............................................................................. 146
5.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 147 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................. 147 References ......................................................................................................... 147
Increasing epidemiological evidence demonstrates that diets rich in fruits and vegetables promote health, and attenuate, or delay, the onset of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, certain cancers, and several other age-related degenerative disorders [1-3]. The plant components and the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of these diseases are matters of intense investigation. One group of phytochemicals, the fl avonoids, is gaining acceptance, playing a major role in the health benefi ts offered by fruits and vegetables, as it was proposed by Reanud and de Lergeril [4].
