2017 Volume 70 Issue 1 Pages 17-22
On the basis of data from beverage consumption surveys (1996‐2013) , we previously reported that polyphenol intake from beverages was high in the winter and low in the summer. Although it is well known that the Japanese diet varies with the seasons, seasonal variations in polyphenol intake from foods remain unclear. Here, we calculated the polyphenol intake from vegetables and fruits in each month of the year using data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (2015) and our polyphenol content database. There were small variations in polyphenol intake from fresh vegetables among the seasons. Polyphenol intake from fresh fruits was lowest in the summer and highest in the winter, especially in December. Variations in the polyphenol content of fruits widely consumed in each month accounted for the seasonal differences. Our results suggest that polyphenol intake from vegetables and fruits is slightly influenced by seasonal changes in food consumption, and that total polyphenol intake might be low in summer.
