For the good of your health, you might want to favor a wider mix of flavonoids in your diet. These natural plant compounds – found in teas, berries, apples, and dark chocolate – have been linked to longer life and a lower risk of disease, new evidence shows.
In particular, it was the broader range of flavonoids that made a difference in this research, not just the higher quantity of them. Flavonoids have previously been connected to anti-inflammatory effects in the body, and reductions in the risk of weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and vision loss.
An international team of researchers analyzed data on 124,805 adults in the UK, aged 40 or over. They looked for links between the self-reported diets of the participants and their health, over several years.
“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,” says nutritional scientist AedÃn Cassidy from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland.
“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.”
Black and green teas were the most common provider of flavonoids in the study, drunk by two-thirds of the participants. Other sources included apples, red wine, grapes, berries, dark chocolate, oranges, satsumas, and orange juice.
The statistics showed that participants whose diets had the widest diversity of flavonoid foods had a lower risk of all-cause mortality, and of numerous health complications. While the data doesn’t prove direct cause and effect, the strong suggestion is that mixing your flavonoids is good for you.
“Flavonoid intakes of around 500 milligram a day were associated with a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as around a 10 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease,” says nutrition scientist Benjamin Parmenter from Edith Cowan University in Australia.
“That’s roughly the amount of flavonoids that you would consume in two cups of tea.”
Even when consuming the same total amount of flavonoids, those who consumed the widest diversity had even lower risk of these diseases, the researchers found.
The top fifth of the participants in terms of diversity of flavonoid intake saw reductions of around 6-20 percent in the risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease, compared to the bottom fifth.
With that in mind, the researchers are recommending a mix of flavonoid-rich food and drink, every day. If you want to set yourself a challenge, the top flavonoid consumers in this study were snacking on 19 different types per day.
“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,” says nutrition scientist Tilman Kuhn from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria.
The research was published in Nature Food.
