Onions and red wine can help reduce the risk of heart disease, researchers say. Both, along with tea and apples, contain a type of flavonoid compound called quercetin, which stalls chronic inflammation of the arteries. In one case, a lower dosage of the compound actually had a larger effect, the BCC reports.
Scientists used the compounds to treat cells extracted from the lining of blood vessels. “Inflammation is an important process in the furring up of arteries that can lead to heart disease and stroke,” a nutrition scientist explains. “So this underlines the importance of getting your five a day to stay healthy.” (More flavonoids stories.)