Background High blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease
attributing to about 50% of cardiovascular events worldwide and 37% of cardiovascular …

Cocoa is a source of flavanols, and these phenolic compounds exert beneficial effects on
health and aging, and reduce the risk of suffering chronic diseases (cardiovascular …

Epidemiological data demonstrate that regular dietary intake of plant-derived foods and
beverages reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Among many ingredients …

The human intestinal tract is home to a complex microbial community called microbiota. This
gut microbiota, whilst playing essential roles in the maintenance of the health of the host, is …

Flavanols from chocolate appear to increase nitric oxide bioavailability, protect vascular
endothelium, and decrease cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. We sought to test the …

Growing evidence suggests that polyphenols could be serious candidates to explain the
protective effects of plant-derived foods and beverages. Based on current studies, a general …

Background: Berries are a particularly rich source of polyphenols. They also contain other
bioactive substances, such as vitamin C. Previous studies indicated that the consumption of …

Background: Prospective cohort studies showed inverse associations between the intake of
flavonoid-rich foods (cocoa and tea) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Intervention studies …

Introduction High blood pressure is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and the
rising prevalence of human hypertension precedes the trend toward a global epidemic of …

It is well known that cocoa and dark chocolate possess polyphenols as major constituents
whose dietary consumption has been associated to beneficial effects. In fact, cocoa and dark …