Metabolic Fate and Cardiometabolic Effects of Phenolic Compounds from Red‐Fleshed Apple in Hypercholesterolemic Rats: A Comparative Study with Common White‐Fleshed Apple. The AppleCOR Study

The present study aims to investigate the metabolic fate and the cardiometabolic effects of phenolic compounds provided by a red‐fleshed apple variety biofortified in anthocyanins (ACN). Wistar rats are fed with high‐fat diet (HFD) to induce hypercholesterolemia and supplemented with red‐fleshed apple (HFD+R), white‐fleshed apple (HFD+W), or an ACN‐rich infusion from aronia fruit (HFD+A) providing matched content and profile of ACN. Plasma biochemical parameters, histological analysis, and phenol biological metabolites are determined. Plasma, urine, and feces show a significant increase of ACN metabolites after HFD+R and HFD+A, while flavan‐3‐ols are significantly increased after HFD+W and dihydrochalcones derivatives increased after both apples supplementation. A cardioprotective effect is observed after both apples and aronia infusion supplementation in the reduction of aortic thickness. The kidney function is improved after all supplementations and a decrease in insulin plasma concentration after both apples supplementation (HFD+R and HFD+W) is also observed. The findings support that ACN without apple matrix can induce cardioprotective effects. ACN or flavan‐3‐ols, together with dihydrochalcones, compose a phenolic phytocomplex in red‐ and white‐fleshed apples, respectively, which can act synergistically in the attenuation of cardiovascular outcomes in hypercholesterolemic rats. This study investigates the metabolic fate and the cardioprotective effects of phenolic compounds provided by a red‐fleshed apple variety biofortified in anthocyanins (ACN). For this purpose, plasma biochemical parameters, hystological analysis, and phenol biological metabolites are determined after a sustained intake of white‐fleshed apple, red‐fleshed apple, or a ACN‐rich infusion from aronia fruit in Wistar rats feed with high‐fat diet.