THERMALLY-PROCESSED COCOA PRODUCTS USEFUL FOR VASCULAR HEALTH IMPROVEMENT

摘要

The invention relates to compositions containing polyphenols such as flavanols, procyanidins, and derivatives thereof obtainable by thermally treating the polyphenols in an aqueous solution, and to compositions comprising epimers of flavanols, procyanidins, and derivatives thereof, and methods of therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of NO-responsive diseases o r disorders using the same. The invention also relates to thermally-processed cocoa powders and cocoa extracts characterized by an altered monomelic and oligomeric profile where the total amount of epicatechin and catechin is unchanged, where new dimers are present, and where oligomers higher than the trimers are absent.