Procyanidin-rich foods

It has been reported that the absorption of dietary procyanidins may be influenced by the matrix within which these compounds are consumed [62], Ortega et al. [30] and Serra et al. [32] studied the in vitro bioavailability of procyanidins in two cocoa matrices with different fat content and in a sample matrix that contained a carbohydrate-rich food, respectively, using a UHPLC-MS/MS method. 

It has been showed that chocolate is one of the most polyphenol-rich foods. According to Lee et al. [9], cocoa contains a higher content of flavonoids per serving than teas or red wine. Moreover cocoa powder is one of the richest dietary sources of flavanols (on a weight basis) identified so far, exceeded only by a few food ingredients such as buckwheat huUs, sorghum, cinnamon, and some superfruit [10]. Cocoa is also one of the richest dietary sources of polyphenols fisted in the Phenol-Explorer database [11] and one of the richest sources of procyanidins in the USDA Database for the Proanthocyanidin Content of Selected Foods [12] (Fig. 74.1). 

Moini H, Guo Q, Packer L. Enzyme inhibition and protein-binding action of the procyanidin-rich French maritime pine hark extract, pycnogenol effect on xanthine oxidase. J Agric Food Chem 2000 48 5630 9. 

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