A new study has found that flavonoid-rich foods such as tea, berries, dark chocolate and apples, could lead to longer life span by reducing the risk of serious illnesses.
Led by a team of researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, Edith Cowan University Perth (ECU), and the Medical University of Vienna and Universitat Wien, the study highlights that the consumption of a wide range of flavonoids could prevent health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and neurological disease.
This first-of-its kind study, published in Nature Food, was carried out on over 120,000 participants aged between 40 and 70 years. Dr. Benjamin Parmenter, ECU Research Fellow and the first author of this study, was the first to discover that a flavonoid-diverse diet is healthy.
“Flavonoid intakes of around 500 mg a day was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a 10 percent lower risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease. That’s roughly the amount of flavonoids that you would consume in two cups of tea.”
Dr. Parmenter also highlighted that it’s better to eat diverse flavonoid-rich foods rather than depending on just one source like tea.
Professor Aedín Cassidy from the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast, stated that, “We have known for some time that higher intakes of dietary flavonoids, powerful bioactives naturally present in many foods and drinks, can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and neurological conditions like Parkinson’s. We also know from lab data and clinical studies that different flavonoids work in different ways, some improve blood pressure, others help with cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation. This study is significant as the results indicate that consuming a higher quantity and wider diversity has the potential to lead to a greater reduction in ill health than just a single source.”
Professor Tilman Kuhn from the Medical University of Vienna, Universitat Wien and Queen’s University Belfast, a co-led author of this study, stressed that, “Eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors, including those rich in flavonoids, means you’re more likely to get the vitamins and nutrients you need to sustain a healthier lifestyle.”
“Our study provides inaugural evidence that we may also need to advise increasing diversity of intake of these compounds for optimal benefits,” added Dr. Parmenter.
Professor Cassidy further stated that, “The results provide a clear public health message, suggesting that simple and achievable dietary swaps, such as drinking more tea and eating more berries and apples for example, can help increase the variety and intake of flavonoid-rich foods, and potentially improve health in the long-term.”
Flavonoids are natural compounds present in plant-based foods such as tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, apples, grapes, as well as in red wine and dark chocolate.
