Tag: flavonoids

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Consuming a Variety of Flavonoids Extends Life, New Study Suggests

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New research has found that those who consume a diverse range of foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples, could lower their risk of developing serious health conditions and have the potential to live longer.

The study was 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 findings reveal that increasing the diversity of flavonoids within your diet could help prevent the development of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and neurological disease.

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

The study in Nature Food followed over 120 000 participants aged 40–70 for over a decade. It is the first study of its kind to suggest that there is a benefit to consuming a wide range of flavonoids beyond that of simply consuming a high quantity.

ECU Research Fellow, first author and co-lead of the study Dr Benjamin Parmenter, made the initial discovery that a flavonoid-diverse diet is good for health.

“Flavonoid intakes of around 500mg a day was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a ~10% 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 added, however, that those who consumed the widest diversity of flavonoids, had an even lower risk of these diseases, even when consuming the same total amount. For example, instead of just drinking tea, it’s better to eat a range of flavonoid-rich foods to make up your intake, because different flavonoids come from different foods.

“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,” study co-lead Professor Aedín Cassidy from the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s said.

“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 was also a co-lead author, noted that the importance of diversity of flavonoid intake has never been investigated until now, making this study very significant as the findings align with popular claims that eating colourful foods are invaluable to maintain good health.

“Eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of colours, including those rich in flavonoids, means you’re more likely to get the vitamins and nutrients you need to sustain a healthier lifestyle,” he said.

The first-ever dietary guidelines for flavonoids were released recently recommending increasing the consumption of flavonoids to maintain health.

“Our study provides inaugural evidence that we may also need to advise increasing diversity of intake of these compounds for optimal benefits,” Dr Parmenter said.

“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,” Professor Cassidy added.

Source: Edith Cowan University

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease Diet and NutritionTags :

Gut Microbiome Moderates BP Benefits of Flavonoids

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Photo by Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash

Flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries, apples, pears and wine, seem to reduce hypertension due in part to characteristics of the gut microbiome, according to a new study published in Hypertension.

“Our gut microbiome plays a key role in metabolising flavonoids to enhance their cardioprotective effects, and this study provides evidence to suggest these blood pressure-lowering effects are achievable with simple changes to the daily diet,” said lead researcher Aedín Cassidy, PhD, chair and professor in nutrition and preventive medicine at the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University.

Flavonoids are compounds found naturally in fruits, vegetables and plant-based foods such as tea, chocolate and wine. They have miscellaneous favourable biochemical and antioxidant effects associated with various diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, etc. Flavonoids are broken down by the body’s gut microbiome. Recent studies found a link between gut microbiota, the microorganisms in the human digestive tract, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Gut microbiota are highly individual, and seem to be associated with CVD.

With studies suggesting flavonoids may reduce heart disease risk, the researchers investigaged the role of the gut microbiome in this. 
Researchers drew on a group of 904 adults between the ages of 25 and 82, 57% men from Germany’s PopGen biobank. Researchers evaluated the participants’ food intake, gut microbiome and blood pressure levels together with other clinical and molecular phenotyping at regular follow-up examinations.

Participants’ intake of flavonoid-rich foods during the previous year was calculated from a self-reported food questionnaire detailing the frequency and quantity eaten of 112 foods.

Participants’ gut microbiomes were assessed by faecal bacterial DNA in stool samples. After an overnight fast, participants’ blood pressure levels were measured. Researchers also collected participants’ lifestyle information, and measured BMI and other physical characteristics,

The analysis found that:

  • Study participants with the highest intake of flavonoid-rich foods, including berries, red wine, apples and pears, had lower systolic blood pressure levels, as well as greater gut microbiome diversity than the participants with the lowest levels of flavonoid-rich food intake.
  • Up to 15.2% of the association between flavonoid-rich foods and systolic blood pressure could be explained by the diversity found in participants’ gut microbiome.
  • Eating 1.6 servings of berries per day (one serving = 80 grams, or 1 cup) was associated with an average reduction in systolic blood pressure levels of 4.1 mm Hg. 12% of the association was explained by gut microbiome factors.
  • Drinking 2.8 glasses (125 ml of wine per glass) of red wine a week was associated with an average of 3.7 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure level, of which 15% could be explained by the gut microbiome.

“Our findings indicate future trials should look at participants according to metabolic profile in order to more accurately study the roles of metabolism and the gut microbiome in regulating the effects of flavonoids on blood pressure,” said Cassidy. “A better understanding of the highly individual variability of flavonoid metabolism could very well explain why some people have greater cardiovascular protection benefits from flavonoid-rich foods than others.”

While this study suggests potential benefits to consuming red wine, the American Heart Association suggests that if you don’t drink alcohol already, you shouldn’t start.

Study limitations include not being able to account for all factors, such as genetics and lifestyle. The authors noted the focus of this study was on specific foods rich in flavonoids, not all food and beverages with flavonoids.

Source: Medical Xpress