A diverse flavonoid diet may help prolong life

Image source: ECU

Eating foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate and apples, may reduce the risk of serious diseases and potentially extend life, according to a study published in Nature Food on June 2.

The findings suggest that increasing the diversity of flavonoids in the diet could help prevent type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological diseases, among other things.

Flavonoids are found in plant foods such as tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, apples, grapes, and even in red wine and dark chocolate.

The study, which followed more than 120,000 participants aged 40 to 70 for more than 10 years, is the first study of its kind to demonstrate that consuming a variety of foods containing flavonoids is more beneficial than simply consuming large amounts of flavonoids.

Benjamin Parmenter, first author of the paper from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia, found that a diverse diet of flavonoids is beneficial to health. "Eating around 500 mg of flavonoids per day can reduce all-cause mortality by 16% and the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and respiratory disease by about 10%. This is about the amount of flavonoids you would consume from two cups of tea."

Parmenter added that even if the total intake was the same, people who consumed a wider variety of flavonoids had a lower risk of these diseases. For example, instead of just drinking tea, it's better to eat a range of flavonoid-rich foods, because different foods provide different flavonoids.

"We already know that eating a diet higher in flavonoids can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease," said Aedín Cassidy of Queen's University Belfast, UK, one of the paper's senior authors. "We also know from laboratory data and clinical studies that different flavonoids have different effects, some improving blood pressure, others helping to lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. This study is important because consuming more flavonoids and from a wider range of sources has the potential to reduce poor health outcomes to a greater extent than from a single source."

Tilman Kühn of the Medical University of Vienna in Austria said the findings are consistent with popular belief that eating colorful foods is good for keeping healthy. "Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables means you are more likely to get the vitamins you need to maintain a healthier lifestyle," he said.

The first dietary guidelines for flavonoids were recently released, recommending increased intake of flavonoids for health. "Our study provides preliminary evidence that it may also be necessary to increase the diversity of these compounds in order to obtain optimal benefits," Parmenter said.

Cassidy added: "The findings provide a clear public health message, suggesting that simple, doable dietary shifts, such as drinking more tea and eating more berries and apples, can increase the variety and intake of flavonoid-rich foods and may improve health in the long term."

Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01176-1

(Original title: "Flavone diet" is expected to prolong life)