The bottom line is flavonoids, that are naturally occurring substances discovered in lots of frequent meals and drinks resembling black and inexperienced tea, apples, nuts, citrus fruit, berries and extra.

They’ve lengthy been identified to have many well being advantages — nonetheless new Edith Cowan College (ECU) analysis reveals they might be even higher for us than beforehand thought.

The Coronary heart Basis supported a examine of 881 aged ladies (median age of 80), which discovered they have been far much less more likely to have intensive build-up of stomach aortic calcification (AAC) in the event that they consumed a excessive stage of flavonoids of their weight-reduction plan.

AAC is the calcification of the stomach aorta — the biggest artery within the physique which provides oxygenated blood from the center to the stomach organs and decrease limbs — and is a predictor of cardiovascular threat resembling coronary heart assault and stroke.

It has additionally been discovered to be a dependable predictor for late-life dementia.

ECU Vitamin and Well being Innovation Analysis Institute researcher and examine lead Ben Parmenter mentioned whereas there have been many dietary sources of flavonoids, some had notably excessive quantities.

“In most populations, a small group of meals and drinks — uniquely excessive in flavonoids — contribute the majority of whole dietary flavonoid consumption,” he mentioned.

“The primary contributors are often black or inexperienced tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, pink wine, apples, raisins/grapes and darkish chocolate.”

The flavonoid household

There are lots of various kinds of flavonoids, resembling flavan-3-ols and flavonols, which the examine indicated seem to even have a relationship with AAC.

Examine members who had a better consumption of whole flavonoids, flavan-3-ols and flavonols have been 36-39 per cent much less more likely to have intensive AAC.

Black tea was the examine cohort’s primary supply of whole flavonoids and was additionally related to considerably decrease odds of in depth AAC.

In contrast with respondents who did not drink tea, members who had two-to-six cups per day had 16-42 per cent much less likelihood of getting intensive AAC.

Nonetheless, another dietary sources of flavonoids resembling fruit juice, pink wine and chocolate, didn’t present a big helpful affiliation with AAC.

Not simply tea

Although black tea was the primary supply of flavonoids within the examine — doubtless because of the age of the members — Mr Parmenter mentioned individuals may nonetheless profit from flavonoids with out placing the kettle on.

“Out of the ladies who do not drink black tea, larger whole non-tea flavonoid consumption additionally seems to guard towards intensive calcification of the arteries,” he mentioned.

“This means flavonoids from sources apart from black tea could also be protecting towards AAC when tea is just not consumed.”

Mr Parmenter mentioned this was essential because it permits non-tea drinkers to nonetheless profit from flavonoids of their weight-reduction plan.

“In different populations or teams of individuals, resembling younger males or individuals from different nations, black tea may not be the primary supply of flavonoids,” he mentioned.

“AAC is a serious predictor of vascular illness occasions, and this examine reveals consumption of flavonoids, that might defend towards AAC, are simply achievable in most individuals’s diets.”

‘Greater ordinary dietary flavonoid consumption associates with much less intensive stomach aortic calcification in a cohort of older ladies’ was revealed in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.