3 Foods, 1 Disease-Fighting Compound

An abundance of published studies suggest a correlation between increased fruit and vegetable consumption and a reduced risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Researchers have elucidated the mechanism by which polyphenols – compounds abundantly in foods such as green tea, apples, and cocoa – may provide protective health benefits. Employing cells derived from human blood vessels, Paul Kroon, from the Institute of Food Research (United Kingdom), and colleagues found that low concentrations of the polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea and procyanidin from apples stopped a crucial signalling function of VEGF – a signaling molecule involved in atherosclerosis and some cancers. Observing that: “These data demonstrate for the first time that VEGF is a key molecular target for specific polyphenols found in tea, apples and cocoa which potently inhibit VEGF signalling and angiogenesis at physiological concentrations,” the study authors submit that: “These data provide a plausible mechanism which links bioactive compounds in food with their beneficial effects.”