Apples & Tea For Longer Life
These findings come from a 23-year–long study of the diets of more than 53,000 Danes. It showed that habitually consuming foods rich in flavonoids provided protection against both cancer and heart disease. Study leader Nicola Bondonno of Australia’s Edith Cowan University, noted this protective effect appeared to be strongest for those at high risk of chronic diseases due to their lifestyle habits, including cigarette smoking and drinking more than two standard alcoholic drinks a day. She cautioned, however, that flavonoid consumption doesn’t counteract all the increased risk of death due to smoking and high alcohol consumption, and added that by far “the best thing to do for your health is to quit smoking and cut down on alcohol.” The lowest risk of death seen in the study occurred among participants who consumed about 500mg of flavonoids daily. Drinking one cup of tea, eating one apple, one orange, 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of blueberries and 100 grams of broccoli would provide a wide range of flavonoid compounds and more than 500mg of total flavonoids, Dr. Bondonno said. “Flavonoids have been shown to be anti-inflammatory and improve blood vessel function, which may explain why they are associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease and cancer”, she added.
Source:
Nicola P. Bondonno et al, “Flavonoid intake is associated with lower mortality in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Cohort,” Nature Communications, August 13, 2019,
More from this week’s bulletin:
- Mindfulness Meditation For MCI
- Allergic To Cats?
- This week’s recipe: Seared Salmon With An Orange Glaze
