The flap over flavonoids - What are they?

But there has also been controversy—in particular, the recent reports of fraud surrounding one researcher active in the field. As previously reported by heartwire, Dr Dipak Das (University of Connecticut) has been accused of falsifying data with image-editing software in studies, many of which found that the polyphenol resveratrol (found in red wine; although not a flavonoid) improved cardiovascular health.
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Here are the definitions:
What are polyphenols and flavonoids?

Polyphenols are natural compounds found in plants that are believed to have beneficial health effects. There are thousands of polyphenols, but one has attracted the most attention to date—resveratrol, which is found mainly in red wine and has been suggested to have potential cardiovascular, anticancer, and antiaging benefits.

Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols. They include the following subclasses:

• Anthocyanidins—In blueberries, red wine, and strawberries.
• Flavan-3-ols—In apples, black tea, blueberries, chocolate, and red wine.
• Flavanones—In citrus fruit and juices and herbal tea.
• Flavones—In celery, garlic, green peppers, and herbal tea.
• Flavonols—In blueberries, garlic, kale, onions, spinach, tea, broccoli, red wine, and cherry tomatoes.
• Proanthocyanidins—In apples, black tea, blueberries, chocolate, mixed nuts, peanuts, red wine, strawberries, and walnuts.
• Isoflavones—In soy products and peanuts.

Reduction in cardiovascular mortality?

In McCullough's study, which Kay describes as "one of the more convincing pieces of evidence of the benefits of flavonoids to date," the authors examined the association between flavonoid intake and cardiovascular-disease mortality among almost 100 000 participants (average age 70) in the US Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Participants completed questionnaires on medical history and lifestyle behaviors, including a 152-item food-frequency questionnaire. Flavonoid values for individual foods were derived from three US Department of Agriculture databases.

During seven years of follow-up, 2741 cardiovascular deaths occurred. Results showed that individuals with total flavonoid intakes in the top (compared with the bottom) quintile had an 18% lower risk of cardiovascular death.