Adding foods like blueberries, plums, blackberries, broad beans, and cherries to your daily diet - especially when paired with green tea - could be a simple way to support heart health, according to new research. Because apparently, "five-a-day" isn't the nutritional safety net we thought it was.
A large international study led by scientists from the University of Reading, Harvard Medical School, the University of California Davis, and Mars, Inc. - yes, the candy company - found that most people are not consuming enough flavanols, natural compounds linked to a lower risk of heart disease. The researchers discovered that fewer than 20% of people reached the flavanol intake level associated with heart health benefits. Even many individuals who regularly ate the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables failed to meet that target.
Published on June 8, 2026, in the journal Food and Function, the study analyzed dietary data from more than 30,000 people in the United Kingdom and the United States using biomarker measurements to assess flavanol intake. Dr. Javier Ottaviani, the study's lead author, said: "Flavanols can significantly reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only if you consume enough of them. Most people assume that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables covers this, but what this research shows is that the specific choices you make matter far more than the total amount. Including a handful of blackberries, a whole apple or having a cup of green tea alongside your meal could make a real difference."
The findings suggest that simply increasing fruit and vegetable intake may not be enough. The specific foods people choose appear to play an important role in determining how many flavanols they actually consume. Earlier research, including the COSMOS study - the largest clinical trial to examine flavanols - found that consuming 500 milligrams of flavanols per day significantly lowered the risk of death from heart disease. The new study indicates that most people remain well below that level, even when following standard healthy eating recommendations such as the NHS Eatwell Guide.
Researchers identified the following foods as some of the richest dietary sources of flavanols per serving: blueberries, blackberries, plums, broad beans, cherries, apples, and green tea. The results also raise questions about whether current nutrition recommendations could do a better job of helping people obtain beneficial compounds such as flavanols. Professor Gunter Kuhnle of the University of Reading said: "Five-a-day is the right message, but we may need to think more carefully about which five. Different fruits and vegetables offer very different nutritional benefits beyond vitamins and minerals, and as our understanding of these compounds grows, there is a real opportunity to make dietary guidance more specific and more effective."
The researchers say the findings highlight an important point: while eating plenty of fruits and vegetables remains a cornerstone of a healthy diet, the types of produce chosen may have a significant impact on heart health benefits. So go ahead, grab those blackberries and brew some green tea - your heart will thank you, even if your taste buds are confused.