On this episode of humanOS Radio, Dan welcomes Nicola Bondonno to the show. Her research has been examining the effects of bioactive compounds occurring naturally in plant-based foods and beverages, and how they are linked to the cardiovascular health benefits associated with a plant-rich diet.

It has become axiomatic that fruits and vegetables are protective against disease. Humans have intuitively recognized the link between edible plants and health for thousands of years. However, it is only very recently in our history as a species that we have been able to identify these benefits through empirical methods. Over the past decades, countless scientific studies have investigated the relationship between consumption of fruits and vegetables and human health and disease, and compelling evidence has emerged.

But why specifically are plant foods so good for you? What exactly makes them special?

We now believe that biologically active constituents within plants are in large part responsible for their disease-fighting power.

Nicola’s own work has zeroed in on the health-promoting effects of flavonoids, a large class of polyphenolic compounds found in fruits and vegetables. They carry out a variety of important functions in plants, and they affect our bodies as well when we eat them. Just as one example, flavonoids have been shown to enhance bioavailability of nitric oxide, a molecule that regulates vascular tone. Specifically, nitric oxide relaxes the walls of blood vessels, which in turn reduces blood pressure and improves blood flow. With respect to cardiovascular health, you can imagine that this would be a very good thing.

In a recent study, Nicky and her team analyzed data from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. This study assessed the diets of 53048 middle-aged Danish residents over the course of up to 23 years. The researchers estimated the flavonoid content of the foods and beverages that these subjects reported consuming, and compared this dietary intake to the medical outcomes and cause of death (if applicable) of the participants.

From this data, a number of important questions could be addressed:

Did flavonoid intake affect mortality, when adjusting for other potential confounders?

What dose of flavonoids is required for benefits to be achieved?

Are certain subclasses of flavonoids responsible for observed benefits?

And do flavonoids have different effects in individuals who drink or smoke?

To hear what they found, and to learn more about dietary flavonoids and their role in health and disease, please check out the interview!