This is tea-riffic news for chaophiles!
A new study finds that consuming six additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods a day can lower the risk of dementia by 28%, especially for those with high blood pressure, depression and high genetic risk.
The greatest risk reduction was observed in people who consumed at least two of the following a day: five servings of tea, one serving of red wine and half a serving of berries.
Flavonoids are natural substances found in fruits, vegetables and other plants. They have been shown to reduce inflammation in the brain, enhance blood flow to the brain and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
The new study, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, included nearly 122,000 UK residents between 40 and 70 years old. The team was led by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast.
The participants were asked to report what they ate, and researchers assigned them a “flavodiet” score based on their intake of black or green tea, red wine, apples, berries, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, sweet peppers, onions and dark chocolate.
Most participants consumed four to five daily servings of flavonoid-rich foods, with tea being the most popular.
The volunteers were followed for about nine years — during that time, 882 dementia cases were recorded.
Those with the highest flavodiet scores had a lower risk of dementia compared to those with the lowest flavodiet scores.
In studying several types of flavonoids, the researchers found that anthocyanin, flavan-3-ol and flavone had the strongest associations with dementia risk. Tea, red wine and berries are top sources of these flavonoids.
Dr. Liron Sinvani, director of geriatric hospital services at North Shore University Hospital, noted that dietary recommendations for Americans don’t mention flavonoids, and this new research could help draw attention to these critical phytonutrients.
“Is this sort of the first step to saying, ‘OK, we should really be encouraging a certain amount of these foods in the diet?’” Sinvani, who was not involved in the research, mused to The Post.
“Are there public policies where we can actually highlight foods that are rich in flavonoids?” she continued. “Because this is something that we can all change, sort of like exercise and physical activity, which we know also reduce dementia risk and even improve cognitive reserves in people who already have dementia.”
There were some limitations to this study, including being dependent on self-reported dietary habits. Dementia cases also tend to be underreported.
The results challenge recent research claiming that no amount of alcohol is good for your health, and that booze risks can increase with age.
Sinvani said the “jury is still out on all the benefits or risks” of red wine, and recommendations can vary from person to person.
“For example, someone with dementia, or someone who’s very vulnerable, if alcohol is going to increase their risk of falling, I would say that it’s better to probably get the flavonoids from a different source,” Sinvani said.
“But I would say that a small amount of red wine at least will get you flavonoids, which can improve your risk of dementia,” she added.
