Chocolate, red wine and coffee not on healthy heart list

There is no cardiovascular health benefit from drinking coffee or red wine, the Australian Heart Foundation says.

Stop kidding yourself, The Australian Heart Foundation says, there is no cardiovascular health benefit from eating chocolate or drinking red wine.

Coffee was another popular treat that also contained antioxidants, the foundation said, ensuring it was commonly referred to as part of a heart healthy diet.

Susan Anderson, the Heart Foundation's national director of healthy weight, said a review of more that 100 scientific papers found this was not the case.

The message to chocolate, wine and coffee connoisseurs was that any cardiovascular benefit was more a case of wishful thinking.

"Chocolate, coffee and red wine are okay as part of a balanced diet," Ms Anderson said in a statement today.

"But these findings confirm that if you're consuming them thinking you're reducing your risk of heart disease then think again.

"The best way to get enough antioxidants is to eat a variety of plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruit, legumes, wholegrain breads and cereals, nuts and seeds every day."

People were best advised to eat at least two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day, Ms Anderson said.

Tea was confirmed as helping to lower your heart attack risk, she said, though where milk was added it should be reduced, low or no fat.

There was insufficient evidence to recommend eating either milk or dark chocolate, drinking coffee, red wine or other alcoholic drinks or use antioxidant supplements, such as vitamins E and C.

Ms Anderson said there were widespread misconceptions about which foods were positive for cardiovascular health, and the results of the review would be sent to doctors and other health professionals.

- AAP