Overview

• The Nature Food study followed 124,805 UK Biobank participants aged 40 to 70 for up to 10.6 years and found daily flavonoid intake around 500 mg was linked to a 16 percent lower risk of death and a 10 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and respiratory illness
• Broad diversity in flavonoid consumption proved as important as total amount, with multiple subclasses independently tied to significant drops in risks for chronic conditions
• Participants who consumed more than four servings of flavonoid-rich foods each day saw a 16 percent lower risk of early death compared with those who had only one serving
• Black and green tea accounted for 67 percent of total flavonoid intake while fruits such as apples, berries, oranges and grapes helped boost molecular variety
• Despite its observational design, the study’s authors including Aedín Cassidy and Benjamin Parmenter are calling for dietary guidelines to emphasize both higher flavonoid intake and a wider range of sources