ABSTRACT

Diet has been recognized as an important contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Epidemiological evidence has indicated that the consumption of diets rich in fruit and vegetables lead to a reduction in the risk of CVD (Joshipura et al. 2001; Dauchet et al. 2006; He et al. 2007). The cardioprotective effects of such diets are often attributed to their phytochemical content, in particular, to the avonoids they contain. Indeed, epidemiological evidence also indicates that there is an association between high dietary intake of avonoids and the decreased risk of CVD (Hertog et al. 1995; Arts et al. 2005; Buijsse et al. 2006; Mink et al. 2007).