Abstract
Introduction In the current issue of the journal, Fisher and Hollenberg [1] review the evidence for the hypothesis that flavonoids in cocoa are linked to improved cardiovascular health. The main mechanism that they propose involves improvement of endothelial function and protection against development of hypertension. The hypothesis is intuitively appealing and readily assimilated in the context of current concepts in relation to the aetiology and pathogenesis of blood pressure elevation. However, flavonoids are a class of compounds that occur naturally in a wide variety of plant foods with major dietary sources, including tea, red wine and fruits and vegetables in general. Therefore, as appealing as the hypothesis might be that such flavonoids prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease, we need to ask the question as to the quality and consistency of the currently available evidence.
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