Apples and pears may be key components in the fight to reduce the risk of heart disease through diet, according to a new study of more than 34,000 post-menopausal women.

In the study, carried out by researchers in the US and Norway, flavonoid-rich apples were found to be one of three foods (along with red wine and pears) that decrease the risk of mortality for both coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among participants.

Using a government database that assesses the flavonoid-compound content of foods, researchers hypothesised that flavonoid intake (in general and from specific foods), might be inversely associated with mortality from CVD and CHD among the women in the study group. Subjects selected for this research analysis were post-menopausal and part of the ongoing Iowa Women’s Health Study, each of which has been monitored for dietary intake and various health outcomes for nearly 20 years.

As a result of the extensive analysis of what the women ate, the types of cardiovascular-related diseases they experienced, and the overall flavonoid content of an extensive list of foods, the researchers concluded that consumption of apples, pears and red wine were linked with the lowest risk for mortality related to both CHD and CVD (not just one or the other).

“Flavonoids are compounds found in small quantities in numerous plant foods, including fruits and vegetables, tea, wine, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices,” said researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Oslo.

Earlier research indicated that flavonoids also have antioxidant properties that are linked to the reduction of oxidation of the bad (LDL - low density lipoprotein) cholesterol which has been linked in various ways with the development of CVD. Apples contain a wide variety of flavonoid compounds.

The researchers also said this is the first study of post-menopausal women to report on the intake and impact of total and specific flavonoid subclasses. They concluded: “Dietary intakes of flavanones, anthocyanins, and certain foods rich in flavonoids were associated with reduced risk of death due to CHD, CVD and all causes.”

The findings were published in the March 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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