NORFOLK, UK — People who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables show a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer, according to a study by scientists at the Institute of Food Research in the United Kingdom.
They are saying that because certain fruits and vegetables naturally contain high amounts of polyphenols, they could provide protective health benefits.
This study shows polyphenols in green tea and apples block a signaling molecule called VEGF, which in the body can trigger atherosclerosis, which is a target for some anti-cancer drugs.
IVEGF is a main driver of blood vessel formation during angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis is crucial in cancer progression, as well as in the development of atherosclerotic plaques and plaque rupture, which has been proved to cause heart attacks and stroke.
Researchers at IFR used cells from human blood vessels and found low concentrations of the polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate from green tea, and procyanidin from apples stopped a crucial signaling function of VEGF.
This study provides the first evidence that polyphenols can directly interact with VEGF to block its signals even at blood stream levels you would see after eating polyphenol-rich foods.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/nbi-nef041315.php