Influence of sugar type on the bioavailability of cocoa flavanols.

Rodriguez Mateos, A., Oruna-Concha, M. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7916-1592, Kwik-Uribe, C., Vidal, A. and Spencer, J. P.E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2931-7274 (2012) Influence of sugar type on the bioavailability of cocoa flavanols. British journal of nutrition, 108 (12). pp. 2243-2250. ISSN 1475-2662 doi: 10.1017/S0007114512000475

Abstract/Summary

The beneficial effects of cocoa on vascular function are mediated by the absorption of monomeric flavanols into the circulation from the small intestine. As such, an understanding of the impact of the food matrix on the delivery of flavanols to the circulation is critical in assessing the potential vascular impact of a food. In the present study, we investigated the impact of carbohydrate type on flavanol absorption and metabolism from chocolate. A randomised, double-blind, three-arm cross-over study was conducted, where fifteen volunteers were randomly assigned to either a high-flavanol (266 mg) chocolate containing maltitol, a high-flavanol (251 mg) chocolate with sucrose or a low-flavanol (48 mg) chocolate with sucrose. Test chocolates were matched for micro- and macronutrients, including the alkaloids theobromine and caffeine, and were similar in taste and appearance. Total flavanol absorption was lower after consumption of the maltitol-containing test chocolate compared with following consumption of its sucrose-containing equivalent (P = 0·002). Although the O-methylation pattern observed for absorbed flavanols was unaffected by sugar type, individual levels of unmethylated ( - )-epicatechin metabolites, 3'-O-methyl-epicatechin and 4'-O-methyl-epicatechin metabolites were lower for the maltitol-containing test chocolate compared with the sucrose-containing equivalent. Despite a reduction in the total plasma pool of flavanols, the maximum time (T max) was unaffected. The present data indicate that full assessment of intervention treatments is vital in future intervention trials with flavanols and that carbohydrate content is an important determinant for the optimal delivery of flavanols to the circulation.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/30826
Identification Number/DOI	10.1017/S0007114512000475
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Human Nutrition Research Group
Publisher	Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Nutrition Society
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