The flavonoids present in black tea have been linked to improved cardiovascular well being later in life. Consuming a cup of black tea every day can present these advantages, however in the event you’re not a tea drinker, there are different dietary choices that comprise flavonoids.
Consuming a every day cup of tea might have potential well being advantages as you age, however even in the event you’re not a tea drinker, you’ll be able to nonetheless reap the advantages of flavonoids by way of different dietary choices. Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances discovered in lots of frequent meals and drinks akin to black and inexperienced tea, apples, nuts, citrus fruits, berries and extra.
Flavonoids have lengthy been identified for his or her well being advantages, however new analysis from Edith Cowan College (ECU) suggests they could be much more useful than beforehand thought. The Coronary heart Basis supported a examine of 881 older girls (imply age 80) that discovered those that consumed excessive ranges of flavonoids of their diets had been much less prone to have excessive accumulations of belly aortic calcification (AAC).
AAC is the calcification of the belly aorta – the most important artery within the physique that carries oxygen-rich blood from the guts to the belly organs and decrease limbs – and is a predictor of cardiovascular dangers akin to coronary heart assault and stroke. It has additionally been discovered to be a dependable predictor of dementia in previous age.
ECU Diet and Well being Innovation Analysis Institute researcher and principal investigator Ben Parmenter mentioned that whereas there are various dietary sources of flavonoids, some have significantly excessive ranges.
“In most populations, a small group of meals and drinks — uniquely wealthy in flavonoids — contribute the majority of the overall dietary flavonoid consumption,” he mentioned. “The primary contributors are normally black or inexperienced tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, purple wine, apples, raisins/grapes and darkish chocolate.”
The flavonoid household
There are lots of several types of flavonoids, akin to B. flavan-3-ols and flavonols, which additionally seem to have a relationship with AAC, in accordance with the examine. Research individuals who had increased whole intakes of flavonoids, flavan-3-ols and flavonols had been 36 to 39 p.c much less prone to have intensive AAC.
Black tea was the examine cohort’s foremost supply of whole flavonoids and was additionally related to a considerably decrease probability of extreme AAC. In contrast with respondents who didn’t drink tea, individuals who drank two to 6 cups a day had been 16 to 42 p.c much less prone to have robust AAC.
Nonetheless, another dietary sources of flavonoids akin to fruit juice, purple wine, and chocolate didn’t present a big useful affiliation with AAC.
not simply tea
Though black tea was the principle supply of flavonoids within the examine – seemingly as a result of age of the individuals – Mr Parmenter mentioned folks might nonetheless profit from flavonoids with out placing the kettle on.
“Of the ladies who do not drink black tea, a better whole consumption of non-tea flavonoids additionally seems to guard towards extreme arterial calcification,” he mentioned. “This suggests that flavonoids from sources apart from black tea could shield towards AAC when tea isn’t consumed.”
Mr Parmenter mentioned that is vital because it additionally permits non-tea drinkers to learn from having flavonoids of their eating regimen.
“In different populations or teams of individuals, like younger males or folks from different nations, black tea might not be the principle supply of flavonoids,” he mentioned. “AAC is a crucial predictor of vascular illness occasions, and this examine reveals that ingestion of flavonoids which will shield towards AAC is well achievable within the eating regimen of most individuals.”
Reference: “Larger ordinary dietary consumption of flavonoids related to much less extreme belly aortic calcification in a cohort of older girls” by Benjamin H. Parmenter, Catherine P. Bondonno, Kevin Murray, John T. Schousboe, Kevin Croft, Richard L. Prince , Jonathan M Hodgson, Nicola P Bondonno, and Joshua R Lewis, November 3, 2022, Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis and vascular biology.
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.318408