Nutrition and Health Info Sheet: Catechins

Abstract

What are catechins/epicatechins? Catechins and epicatechins are phytochemical compounds found in high concentrations in a variety of plant-based foods and beverages. Based on their structure, these compounds are classified as flavanols and include the following compounds: catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate. High concentrations of catechin can be found in red wine, broad beans, black grapes, apricots and strawberries. Epicatechin concentrations are high in apples, blackberries, broad beans, cherries, black grapes, pears, raspberries, and cocoa/chocolate. Finally, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate are found in high concentrations in both black and green tea. 1 Are there beneficial effects associated with consumption of catechins/epicatechins? The consumption of foods rich in catechins and epicatechins has been associated with a variety of beneficial biological effects including increased plasma antioxidant activity (ability of plasma to scavenge free radicals), brachial artery dilation (blood vessel expansion), fat oxidation, and resistance of LDL to oxidation and promotion of gut health. 1 The gut microbiota can biotransform catechin and epicatechin, and conversely the presence of these nutrients in the gut can induce changes in gut microbial populations. It has been speculated that catechin/epicatechin can help inhibit production and activation of harmful bacteria while allowing beneficial bacteria to flourish. There seems to be a lot of media hype around red wine, cocoa/chocolate, and tea. Are these really " super foods? " As shown in the table on pages 5 and 6, red wine, chocolate, and tea are all high in catechins/epicatechins, in addition to a variety of other polyphenolic compounds. 2 The Figure 1: Epigallocatechin gallate structure Image via Wikimedia Commons following pages contain a summary of some of the recent research on the effects of consuming these foods Red Wine Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between consumption of red wine and susceptibility to certain chronic diseases including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease: Consumption of red wine has been associated with a reduction in endothelin-1 (a molecule involved in blood pressure regulation), a reduction in myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury (an injury to the heart when blood is returned to the organ after a period of restriction), increased HDL concentrations, decreased platelet aggregation (clumping), increased fibrinolysis (breakdown of a clot), and increased plasma antioxidant activity. 4,5