A new study published in Nature Food has shown that eating a variety of flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries, chocolate, and tea, may lower your risk of chronic diseases and help you live a longer life.
The cohort study used data from nearly 125,000 participants in the UK Biobank. Participants were between the ages of 40 and 70 years old and had their dietary habits measured, including their intake of flavonoid-rich foods. Flavonoids are nutrients found in a variety of plant foods that have been previously associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and chronic diseases. However, no previous studies have examined how the diversity of flavonoids in one’s diet affects health outcomes. This study specifically measured the diversity of flavonoids in participants’ diets. Then, the participants were followed for an average for 10 years and monitored for mortality and the development of chronic diseases.
The results showed that participants who consumed the highest diversity of flavonoids had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, respiratory disease, and neurodegenerative disease. The amount of flavonoids consumed was also related to health outcomes; eating around 500 mg of flavonoids per day (about two cups of tea) was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality and about a 10% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease. These decreases in risk were even greater when the flavonoids came from a wider diversity of foods.
The authors of the study noted that diverse flavonoid intake may improve health because different flavonoids work in different ways; some flavonoids improve blood pressure, while other decrease inflammation or lower cholesterol. Because of this, eating a variety of flavonoids is likely to have a bigger impact on overall health than eating only one type. Flavonoids are found in a variety of plant-based foods, including apples, grapes, berries, tea, and chocolate.
Sources: Nature Food, Science Daily
