Add in those Flavonoids!

South Tabor Family Physicians Healthy Living Tips

New research suggests that a diet high in flavonoids such as tea, fruits, and cruciferous vegetables may lower your risk of heart disease and even cancer! Flavonoids are a type of plant compound found in fruits, vegetables, spices, tea, and other plant-based foods.

” A recent study from researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia found that older women who consumed high levels of flavonoids from plant-based food sources were less likely to have extensive abdominal aortic calcification (AAC). AAC happens when calcium deposits build up in your abdominal aorta, a large artery that supplies blood from your heart to your abdominal organs and lower body. People with AAC have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke. They’re also more likely to develop late-life dementia.

“This is just one of many, many studies that have shown a reduction in cardiovascular risk with eating more of a plant-based diet that’s rich in flavonoids,” Janice Friswold, RD, LD, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator at University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH, who was not involved in the new study, told Healthline.

“Some studies on flavonoids have also shown other benefits, such as reduction of cancer risk or cognitive decline, so there’s nothing but good stuff to say about these things.”

The ECU study was recently published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular BiologyTrusted Source

Flavonoids

Flavonoids are a type of plant compound found in fruits, vegetables, spices, tea, and other plant-based foods. They’re antioxidants that help protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress. Scientists have identified more than 6,000 types of flavonoids, which are classified into 12 main groups.

Six of these groups are found in common foods:

Flavonoid group Common food sources
Anthocyanidins berries, grapes, and red cabbage
Flavin-3-ols tea, wine, dark chocolate, apricots, apples, berries, and grapes
Flavanols tea, berries, apples, onions, and cruciferous and leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, spinach, watercress, and parsley
Flavones celery, chili peppers, and herbs such as parsley, mint, oregano, and thyme
Flavanones citrus fruits, such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
Isoflavones beans, lentils, peas, and soy-based foods, such as tofu and soymilk

source:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/flavonoid-foods-improve-heart-health-later-in-life#What-are-flavonoids?