Study on the Dietary Intake of Anthocyanins in Chinese People and Effect of Anthocyanins on Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Anthocyanin is one of the most important water-soluble flavonoids, which is the cause of the red and blue colors of the plants and can be always found in the berries. Anthocyanin is now known that it has many positive effects on human health, especially for cardiovascular health. One of the leading causes of mortality worldwide is cardiovascular disease. Vascular health is influenced by endothelial activity, arterial stiffness, and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Anthocyanins ameliorate dyslipidemia and vascular stiffness, inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, have antiatherogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins can be used as medicine in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases with a focus on dietary and other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. This article aims to provide a present-day summary of the processes underlying the vascular protective action of anthocyanins obtained from food, analyze the relationship between anthocyanin intake and cardiovascular diseases, study the main anthocyanin sources of Chinese people, and provide some dietary suggestions for daily anthocyanin intake of Chinese people. Future development will pay more attention to customized health products and preventive medicine.