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Tea and berries contribute to healthier aging, as a recent study shows.
People who regularly drink black tea, snack on berries, or eat apples may not only be doing their taste buds a favor, but also their health in old age. This is suggested by a new international study recently published in a scientific journal.
Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia, Queen’s University Belfast, and the renowned Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health studied the diet and health of more than 86,000 people over 24 years. Their key finding: a high intake of flavonoid-rich foods can significantly reduce the risk of frailty, physical dysfunction, and mental illness in old age.
“Our research shows that people who consume more flavonoids tend to age better,” says Nicola Bondonno, associate lecturer at Edith Cowan University. Flavonoids are secondary plant compounds that are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, among other things. They are found primarily in black and green tea, berries, citrus fruits, apples, oranges, and red wine.
A positive effect was particularly evident in women: participants with the highest flavonoid intake had
a 15 percent lower risk of frailty
a 12 percent lower risk of physical limitations, and
a 12 percent lower risk of mental illness.
The correlation was less pronounced in men, but a significantly lower risk of mental illness was also found here.
Aedin Cassidy from Queen’s University Belfast emphasized that flavonoids could help maintain skeletal muscle, protect blood vessels, and reduce inflammation—all factors associated with healthy aging. “Three additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods per day can reduce the risk of age-related ailments by up to 11 percent,” Cassidy said.
These findings underscore how easy it is to improve quality of life in old age through targeted nutrition, according to the researchers.
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