Title:Mediterranean Diet Polyphenols: Anthocyanins and Their Implications for Health
Volume: 21
Issue: 13
Author(s): Simona Martinotti, Gregorio Bonsignore, Mauro Patrone and Elia Ranzato*
Affiliation:
- University of Piemonte Orientale, DiSIT- Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, viale Teresa Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria,Italy
Keywords:
Anthocyanins, cardiovascular disease, Mediterranean diet, polyphenols, protective effects, natural products.
Abstract: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is becoming a milestone for the prevention of chronic diseases,
such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Ancel Keys in
the 1950’s showed a low mortality rate, particularly for coronary heart disease, among people resident
in the Mediterranean area. The MD is characterized by the intake of the high amount of vegetables,
fruit, and cereals and regular but moderate consumption of wine, fish, and dairy products, while
olive oil is the main source of culinary fat. Therefore, it is principally a plant-based diet rich in polyphenols,
a heterogeneous category of compounds with different properties and bioavailabilities.
Among polyphenols, anthocyanins have been combined into the human food regime for centuries.
They have been utilized as traditional herbal remedies for their ability to treat several conditions, as
potent anti-oxidants, anti-diabetic and anti-carcinogenic compounds. This review summarizes our
knowledge on the health-enhancing component of the anthocyanins-rich diet.
