People consuming fruit, coffee, chocolate and wine, which are rich in polyphenols, are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome.
- Of the 6,378 people followed, 2,031 have developed a metabolic syndrome, which is clinically diagnosed when at least three of the following conditions are present: abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, high triglyceride rate and high rate of lipids.
- Participants with a diet rich in polyphenols, with grapes, oranges, chocolate, wine and coffee, saw their risk of metabolic syndrome decrease by 23 %.
- “The food variety is important because one of the justifications for the beneficial effects of health polyphenols is their ability to modulate the intestinal microbiota”, according to the researchers.
Also called “belly syndrome”, metabolic syndrome, the occurrence of which is favored by lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, corresponds to the association of several disorders linked to the presence of excess fat inside the belly. After Insermthe people concerned have a large size (greater than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women) and at least two other anomalies among the following: hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar), a high level of triglycerides, a low rate of “good” HDL cholesterol, too high blood pressure.
Orange, reason, chocolate: to determine the frequency to which these foods rich in polyphenols are ingested
“Food diets rich in fruits and vegetables can protect against metabolic syndrome, partly thanks to their high polyphenols content”, Scientists from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) said. This is why, as part of a study, the latter wanted to examine the association between the consumption of food polyphenols, the risk of metabolic syndrome and the cardiometabolic factors. For this, the team reviewed an investigation carried out with 15,000 civil servants working in six universities and Brazilian research institutes. In total, 6,378 people, an average of 49 years, were recruited.
The food intake was evaluated using a semi-quantitative questionnaire. More specifically, the team was questioned about the food habits of participants and the frequency they ingested 92 foods rich in polyphenols, bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in coffee, wine, beans, chocolate, oranges, grapes. The effects of the different cooking and transformation methods were taken into account to ensure a precise measurement of the intake of polyphenols.
Metabolic syndrome: 23 % less risk thanks to a diet rich in polyphenols
During a follow -up of around nine years, 2,031 developed a metabolic syndrome. The results, published in the journal The Journal of Nutritionthe consumption of polyphenols from different foods at the highest estimated level (469 mg per day) reduced the risk of developing metabolic syndrome of 23 % compared to the lowest polyphenol consumption (177 mg per day). Ingestion of phenolic acids (a specific class of abundant polyphenols in coffee, red wine and tea) reduced the risk of a similar quantity.
Regardless of the various risk factors cardiometabolic, such as sex, age, smoking and physical activity, volunteers that ingest more polyphenols were up to 30 times less likely to develop blood pressure or insulin resistance, and 17 times less likely to have high triglycerides. Research has also shown that high consumption of Flavan-3-Ols, a flavonoid subgroup, was linked to a 20 % lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Red wine was the main source of Flavan-3-Ols for the study sample, representing 80 % of the total contribution of this compound. Chocolate was also an important source, representing 10 %.
“A possible positive influence” of polyphenols “on the intestinal microbiota”
According to Renata Carnaúbawhich led the work, the quantity of polyphenols associated with a reduction in the risk of metabolic syndrome was derived from the total food intake. “The food variety is important because one of the justifications for the beneficial effects of health polyphenols is their ability to modulate the intestinal microbiota. This process can stimulate the growth of probiotic or ‘good’ bacteria. However, the more the food intake and the sources of polyphenols of a person are diversified, the more the effect on its intestinal microbiota and therefore on its global health is important. Let us plan to conduct other research on the role of polyphenols in the protection against cardiometabolic diseases.concluded the researchers.
