People who regularly eat berries, drink tea, or eat dark chocolate have lower rates of heart disease and stroke, and live longer.
Scientific Claim
Consumption of tannin-rich foods like tea, cocoa, and berries is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality in population-based studies.
Original Statement
“Dietary intake of polyphenols is associated with a decreased risk of T2DM, metabolic syndrome, risk of ischemic stroke, non-fatal cardiovascular events risk, and risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease... The Takayama study, consisting of over 29,000 Japanese individuals, found significantly lower CVD mortality in subjects with the highest polyphenol intake.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim uses 'is associated with' to reflect population-level observational data. This is appropriate given the narrative review’s evidence base.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
This study says that compounds in plants like tea and berries, once thought to be bad, are actually helpful for your health by fighting inflammation and protecting your heart.