Flavanols
Flavanols and flavonols are both subclasses of flavonoids. Flavonoids are essential nutritional compounds found in colorful fruits and vegetables. They have a 15-carbon skeleton with two phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ring (C).
Flavanols are also known as flavan-3-ols or catechins. They differ from other flavonoids because they lack a double bond between C2 and C3, and no C4 carbonyl in ring C.
Flavanols are found in cocoa, tea, apples, and many other plant-based foods and beverages. There is evidence that a diet rich in flavanols can have a positive impact on cardiovascular health.
Flavonols have a 3-hydroxyflavone backbone. They are the 3-hydroxy derivatives of flavanones, and probably the most common subclass of flavonoids in the human diet. Flavonols are found in different types of vegetables such as onions, spinach, broccoli, and asparagus, as well as in several types of berries, tea, and cocoa
Articles/studies
That dry, bitter taste may be waking up your brain . New research suggests the astringent sensation caused by flavanols could act as a direct signal to the brain, triggering effects similar to a mild workout for the nervous system. In mouse experiments, flavanol intake boosted activity, curiosity, learning, and memory—despite these compounds barely entering the bloodstream. The key appears to be sensory stimulation: the taste itself activates brain