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Polyphenol-Rich Foods and Drinks: Tea, Cocoa, Berries, Olive Oil and Coffee

Measured polyphenol content of tea, cocoa, berries, olive oil and coffee from a food database, and what reviews and trials found for these foods, kept separate from supplement extracts.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

Foods are not extracts

Polyphenols are plant compounds found in many foods. A food delivers a mixture of them along with fiber, fats, caffeine and other substances, so what researchers learn about a food does not automatically apply to a capsule, and the reverse is also true. The cocoa trial below tested a concentrated extract, while the olive oil trial tested a whole eating pattern. For the broader comparison, see antioxidant foods vs antioxidant supplements and antioxidant-rich foods.

How much is in them

The table uses Phenol-Explorer (version 3.6), a database of polyphenol content in foods compiled from published scientific papers. [1] The pages we read do not state a release year. Values are the Folin assay "total polyphenols", per 100 g or 100 mL, not per portion. Mean is followed by the lowest and highest published value.
Food or drinkTotal polyphenols (mean, range)Source
Cocoa powder5,624 mg per 100 g (3,712 to 8,033) [2]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Dark chocolate1,860 mg per 100 g (1,173 to 4,437) [3]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Strawberry, raw289 mg per 100 g (72.5 to 443) [4]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Highbush blueberry, raw223 mg per 100 g (20 to 868) [5]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Apple, whole, raw201 mg per 100 g (66 to 430) [6]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Black tea, infusion104 mg per 100 mL (12 to 135) [7]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Green tea, infusion62 mg per 100 mL (29 to 103) [8]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Extra virgin olive oil55 mg per 100 g (5.7 to 141) [9]Phenol-Explorer 3.6
Filter coffeeNo Folin total listed; two caffeoylquinic acids average 51.8 and 59.6 mg per 100 mL [10]Phenol-Explorer 3.6

Read these as rough guides. The ranges are wide, and the Folin assay reads high because other substances, such as vitamin C, also react in it. [11][12] The database does not say what the body absorbs.

What research found for these foods

Labels: mixed, promising but limited and insufficient evidence. Observational findings show associations, not proof.
FoodWhat the source foundLabel
TeaA Cochrane review of 11 trials found no cardiovascular events reported; tea lowered LDL cholesterol and blood pressure slightly, with few trials. [13] For green tea and cancer, results were inconsistent. [14]Promising but limited
CocoaCochrane (35 trials, mostly healthy adults, usually 2 to 18 weeks): flavanol-rich cocoa lowered blood pressure by about 2 mmHg. [15] In COSMOS, 21,442 older US adults took a cocoa extract with 500 mg flavanols a day or placebo for a median 3.6 years; total cardiovascular events did not fall significantly (hazard ratio 0.90, 0.78 to 1.02) though cardiovascular death was lower (0.73), with no safety concerns. [16]Mixed
Olive oilIn Spain, 7,447 high-risk adults assigned to a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil had fewer major cardiovascular events than those advised to cut fat (hazard ratio 0.69); the report was withdrawn and reissued after randomization problems. [17] This tests a diet, not olive oil polyphenols alone.Promising but limited
CoffeeAn umbrella review of meta-analyses, mostly of observational studies, found lowest risks for several outcomes at 3 to 4 cups a day. [18]Mixed
BerriesProper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for blueberry trial reviews and read no usable summary this round.Insufficient evidence

Where to go next

Food guides: black tea, blueberries, coffee, olive oil, cacao and cocoa and nutrients and compounds in foods.

Frequently asked questions

Which foods have the most polyphenols?

In this database, cocoa powder and dark chocolate had the highest totals among the foods listed, but values vary widely. [2][3]

Is brewed tea higher in polyphenols than coffee?

This database lists a Folin total for tea but not for filter coffee, so a direct comparison is not available here. [7][10]

Does dark chocolate protect the heart?

Cochrane found a small blood pressure effect from flavanol-rich cocoa, and a large trial of cocoa extract did not significantly reduce total cardiovascular events. [15][16]

Are polyphenol supplements as good as food?

We found no source in this round that shows that. Findings for foods do not transfer to extracts.

Does olive oil prevent heart disease?

A trial of a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil found fewer events, but it tested a whole diet. [17]

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Cautions
  • Caffeine. Green tea contains caffeine, and NCCIH advises keeping caffeine moderate in pregnancy. [19] In the coffee review, high versus low or no intake in pregnancy was linked to low birth weight, preterm birth and pregnancy loss. [18]
  • Iron and ulcers. Sloan Kettering says green tea can affect iron absorption and may worsen a stomach ulcer. [20]
  • Medicines. Green tea interacts with some drugs; see the green tea extract and EGCG guide and medication interactions.
  • Kidney, liver, surgery. Not described for these foods in the sources we read. Ask a clinician if you have a condition or take regular medicines.
References
  1. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, home page. Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  2. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Cocoa, powder (Folin assay tab where listed). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  3. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Chocolate, dark (Folin assay tab where listed). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  4. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Strawberry, raw (Folin assay tab where listed). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  5. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Highbush blueberry, raw (Folin assay tab where listed). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  6. [Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Apple [Dessert], whole, raw (Folin assay tab where listed)](http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/23). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  7. [Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Tea [Black], infusion (Folin assay tab where listed)](http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/30). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  8. [Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Tea [Green], infusion (Folin assay tab where listed)](http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/29). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  9. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Olive, oil, extra virgin (Folin assay tab where listed). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  10. [Phenol-Explorer 3.6, polyphenol content of Coffee beverage [Filter] (Folin assay tab where listed)](http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/552). Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  11. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, Frequently Asked Questions. Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  12. Phenol-Explorer 3.6, Methods used to build the database. Phenol-Explorer database. Read 2026-10-23.
  13. Green and black tea for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2013). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  14. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2020). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  15. Effect of cocoa on blood pressure. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2017). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  16. Effect of cocoa flavanol supplementation for the prevention of cardiovascular disease events: the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition (2022). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  17. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts. The New England journal of medicine (2018). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  18. Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ (Clinical research ed.) (2017). PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-23.
  19. Green Tea: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (US). Read 2026-10-23.
  20. Green Tea. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, About Herbs (US). Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.