38
3 Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols in Selected Vegetables and Fruits
activities of cocoa polyphenols is increased markedly. Some new findings regarding
the effects of cocoa and chocolate consumption on human health have been reported
(Visioli et al. 2009). The report summarizes evidences as presented in the International Conference ‘Chocolate, Lifestyle, and Health’,
3 which aimed at reaching a
general consensus towards the role of cocoa products in disease prevention. However, it should be noted that cocoa products are not typically Mediterranean foods and
according to the current Mediterranean Dietary guidelines, some of these products
(those which are not ultraprocessed foods
4 ) can be included in the category of sweets
and desserts, only sporadically consumed.
3.1.4 Fruits
With reference to polyphenols, fruits in the Med Diet ambit have surely an important
place, as such dietary guidelines recommend the daily intake of 2–3 fresh fruits of
the season (e.g. by the end at each main meal and/or as snack). The Mediterranean
area harbours a very wide diversity of fruits, which will be even more enlarged if
considering the agro-biodiversity; that is, many local varieties with different compositions can be found. The following list—or menu—can be considered representative
when speaking of Med Diet and polyphenols at the same time, for the Mediterranean
phenol-rich fruits:
(a) Apple
(b) Apricot
(c) Blackberry
(d) Grape
(e) Citric fruits
(f) Peach
(g) Pear
(h) Plum
(i) Prune
(j) Sweet and sour cherry.
In general, the content of polyphenols of the above-listed fruits was ranged from
15 to 1756 15 mg/100 g. Among these fruits, the following sub-lists—plum, sweet
cherry, blackberry, strawberry, prune, black grape, apple, peach, apricot, nectarine,
pear and white grape—are the ones most frequently consumed in the Mediterranean
area. Citrus fruits, fig, bush berries and grapes are endemic to the region, which
3 Milan, Italy, 2 March 2007; www.nutrition-foundation.it.
4 Ultraprocessed foods can be defined as industrial products containing more than 4–5 ingredients
that may include additives, hydrolyzed proteins, modified starches, emulsifiers, hydrolyzed fats (and
trans-fats) as well as flavour enhancers. Such products are generally dense in calories, nutritionally
poor and with excessive levels of simple sugars (e.g. glucose, sucrose), fats, salt and other healthdeleterious compounds.
3 Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols in Selected Vegetables and Fruits
activities of cocoa polyphenols is increased markedly. Some new findings regarding
the effects of cocoa and chocolate consumption on human health have been reported
(Visioli et al. 2009). The report summarizes evidences as presented in the International Conference ‘Chocolate, Lifestyle, and Health’,
3 which aimed at reaching a
general consensus towards the role of cocoa products in disease prevention. However, it should be noted that cocoa products are not typically Mediterranean foods and
according to the current Mediterranean Dietary guidelines, some of these products
(those which are not ultraprocessed foods
4 ) can be included in the category of sweets
and desserts, only sporadically consumed.
3.1.4 Fruits
With reference to polyphenols, fruits in the Med Diet ambit have surely an important
place, as such dietary guidelines recommend the daily intake of 2–3 fresh fruits of
the season (e.g. by the end at each main meal and/or as snack). The Mediterranean
area harbours a very wide diversity of fruits, which will be even more enlarged if
considering the agro-biodiversity; that is, many local varieties with different compositions can be found. The following list—or menu—can be considered representative
when speaking of Med Diet and polyphenols at the same time, for the Mediterranean
phenol-rich fruits:
(a) Apple
(b) Apricot
(c) Blackberry
(d) Grape
(e) Citric fruits
(f) Peach
(g) Pear
(h) Plum
(i) Prune
(j) Sweet and sour cherry.
In general, the content of polyphenols of the above-listed fruits was ranged from
15 to 1756 15 mg/100 g. Among these fruits, the following sub-lists—plum, sweet
cherry, blackberry, strawberry, prune, black grape, apple, peach, apricot, nectarine,
pear and white grape—are the ones most frequently consumed in the Mediterranean
area. Citrus fruits, fig, bush berries and grapes are endemic to the region, which
3 Milan, Italy, 2 March 2007; www.nutrition-foundation.it.
4 Ultraprocessed foods can be defined as industrial products containing more than 4–5 ingredients
that may include additives, hydrolyzed proteins, modified starches, emulsifiers, hydrolyzed fats (and
trans-fats) as well as flavour enhancers. Such products are generally dense in calories, nutritionally
poor and with excessive levels of simple sugars (e.g. glucose, sucrose), fats, salt and other healthdeleterious compounds.