The authors acknowledge that the intake of flavonols has been positively associated with a healthy lifestyle and that this could have wider implications: it can be presumed that those people who have a healthy lifestyle are more likely to be non-smokers and have lower intakes of total saturated fat and lower BMI. The authors also remarked that the contribution of onions to the flavonol intake may have been underestimated in this research, because onions tend to be a hidden ingredient in soups and sauces.

Dr. Douglas Balentine, Director Nutrition Sciences, for Tea-based beverages at Unilever comments: "This research is groundbreaking as it is the first to investigate an association specifically between flavonol intake and the incidence of stroke. It adds to accumulating evidence that higher flavonoid intake is associated with helping maintain cardiovascular health. As tea is a major source of flavonoids in many diets, it is an exciting area of tea science as it may have a major public health impact."

SOURCE Lipton