Higher consumption of black tea, berries, citrus fruits and apples may help promote healthy aging, according to new research.

The study, conducted by researchers from Edith Cowan University, the Royal University of Belfast and the T. Х. Chan at Harvard, found that foods rich in flavonoids may help reduce the risk of key components of unhealthy aging, including physical frailty, impaired physical function and poor mental health.

“The goal of medical research is not only to help people live longer, but also to ensure that they stay healthy as long as possible,” said Edith Cowan University's Associate Professor Nicola Bondono, PhD.

"We know from previous research that people who have a higher intake of flavonoids tend to live longer, and are also less likely to get one of the major chronic diseases such as dementia, diabetes or heart disease. Our research shows that people who consume more flavonoids tend to age better," he explained.

The study, which analysed data from 62,743 women and 23,687 men over 24 years, found that women with the highest intake of flavonoids had a 15% lower risk of physical frailty, a 12% lower risk of impaired physical function and a 12% lower risk of poor mental health compared with those with the lowest intake.

Although fewer associations were observed in men, higher flavonoid intake was still associated with a lower risk of poor mental health.

“Flavonoids are well-known for reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, maintaining blood vessel health and even helping to maintain skeletal muscle mass - all important factors in preventing frailty and maintaining physical function and mental health as we age,” said senior author, Professor Aedin Cassidy from Queen's University Belfast.

She added that regular consumption of flavonoid-rich foods - such as berries, apples, red wine, oranges and tea - could support healthier ageing, reducing the risk of physical weight loss and poor mental health.

The stronger associations seen in women may be due to differences in follow-up time between the two cohorts rather than true sex-specific effects, which remain understudied in existing research.

"We found that participants who increased their intake of flavonoid-rich foods by three servings per day had a 6% to 11% lower risk of all three aging outcomes in women and a 15% lower risk of poor mental health in men. Overall, these results highlight the potential of simple dietary changes to affect overall quality of life and contribute to optimizing healthy aging," said Prof. Eric Rome from the Harvard T. Х. Chan". | BGNES