Catechin intake and associated dietary and lifestyle factors in a representative sample of Dutch men and women

Abstract

Objective: To study the intake of catechins in the Dutch population and to assess the relation between catechin intake and other dietary factors. Catechins, dietary components that belong to the¯avonoid family, potentially protect against chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Catechins are the major components of tea, but they are present in many other plant foods as well. Design: Data were used from a nationwide dietary survey carried out in 1998 among a representative sample of 6200 Dutch men and women aged 1 ± 97 y. Dietary data were collected using a 2 day dietary record method. Results: The average daily catechin intake was 50 mg (s.d. 56 mgaday). Catechin intake increased with age, and the intake was higher in women (60 mgaday) than in men (40 mgaday). Tea was the main catechin source in all age groups, whereas chocolate was second in children, and apples and pears were second in adults and elderly. Catechin intake was lower in smokers than in non-smokers, and increased with socio-economic status. A high intake was associated with a high intake of ®ber (r 0.20), vitamin C (r 0.17) and beta-carotene (r 0.10). Conclusions: Catechins are quantitatively important bioactive components of the daily diet, which should be taken into account when studying the relation between diet and chronic diseases. Catechin intake is only moderately associated with the intake of other nutrients, but much stronger with certain health behaviours such as smoking. Sponsorship: Commission of the European Communities Agriculture and Fisheries (FAIR) speci®c RTD Programme CT95 0653.

Bioavailability and antioxidant effects of olive oil phenols in humans: a review

“…A daily consumption of 50 g olive oil with a concentration of 180 mg/kg of phenols would result in an estimated intake of about 9 mg of olive oil phenols per day. This is similar to the intake of flavonols and catechins from apples (about 10 mg/day), but lower than that of catechins from tea (50 mg/day) (Arts et al, 2001) or phenolic acids from coffee (200 mg/day) (Radtke et al, 1998). However, it is difficult to compare those intakes in terms of antioxidant activity because the antioxidant potential as well as the bioavailability might differ among various antioxidants.…”

“…Therefore, it is difficult to compare the antioxidant effect of olive oil phenols in vivo with that of phenols from other foods, like wine, coffee, tea, onions, or apples. Nevertheless, intake of phenolic compounds from tea is some 50 mg/day (Arts et al, 2001) or that from coffee 200 mg/day (Radtke et al, 1998). This is much higher than the intake of 2 mg/day of hydroxytyrosol equivalents from olive oil in the Mediterranean diet.…”

Grapes and Cardiovascular Disease

“…Grapes contain a wide variety of polyphenol compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and resveratrol. There is extensive epidemiological evidence suggesting that dietary intake of these compounds reduces cardiovascular mortality (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Numerous studies in vitro as well as in animals and humans demonstrate beneficial effects of grape polyphenols on traditional cardiovascular risk factors ( Table 1).…”

“…Numerous studies in vitro as well as in animals and humans demonstrate beneficial effects of grape polyphenols on traditional cardiovascular risk factors ( Table 1). Population-based studies have observed markedly lower cardiovascular disease mortality in cohorts with higher consumption of relevant flavonoids, including flavonols, flavones, and flavan-3-ols (13)(14)(15)(18)(19)(20). In a study of 34,489 postmenopausal American women, dietary intake of foods containing flavanones and anthocyanidins was associated with decreased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (21).…”

Apple polyphenols modulate expression of selected genes related to toxicological defence and stress response in human colon adenoma cells

“…6 Apples have significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds 7 and are an important source of flavonoids in peoples' diets in the United States of America and Europe. 8 Effective absorption of the apple polyphenols from the mammalian colon has been shown in vivo and in vitro. 9,10 Other than antioxidative effects 11 and their ability to scavenge carcinogens, the apple polyphenols may be chemoprotective by affecting molecular events in the initiation, promotion and progression stages of carcinogenesis.…”