5 Splendid Health Benefits of Flavonoid-Rich Foods

Flavonoids are defined as large group of phytonutrients or plant chemicals, found in a vast majority of fruits and vegetables. In fact, they pose as the largest category of phytonutrients including more than 6000 types. Together with carotenoids, they are responsible for lively colors that fruits and vegetables have. Besides their role in the color of produce, flavonoids have other, greater roles such as providing numerous health benefits. Throughout this article, we’re going to see five amazing health benefits of these phytonutrients. Let’s start!

1. Weight management

A large, 25-year-long study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine discovered that average flavonoid intake is significantly associated with longevity. Besides positive influence on longevity, consumption of flavonoid-rich foods is also linked with inflammation and weight loss. How? It’s because flavonoids have a tremendous potential to relieve inflammation and reduce levels of an appetite-suppressing hormone.

The BMJ published a study whose primary objective was to examine whether dietary intake of flavonoids is linked to weight change over time. The extensive research included 124,086 men and women who reported weight change during the period between 1986 and 2011. The results showed that a higher intake of foods rich in flavonols contributes to weight maintenance in adulthood. In fact, these findings showed that consumption of flavonoid-rich foods could help an individual prevent obesity.

2. Cardiovascular health

Due to the fact that flavonoids have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they are considered beneficial for cardiovascular health. For instance, study published in the Plant Foods for Human Nutrition revealed that flavonoids have free radical-scavenging capacity and potential to prevent coronary heart disease.  

These phytonutrients have the ability to lower the risk of arthrosclerosis by protecting LDL cholesterol from free radical damage. They also improve the quality of blood vessel walls. Additionally, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition featured a research demonstrating that flavonoids improve blood vessel dilation, regulate blood pressure, and have a positive impact on a person’s lipid profile. All these factors are crucial components of optimal cardiovascular health.

Evidence of positive impact of flavonoids onto cardiovascular health keeps mounting. For instance, Mursu J. and a team of scientists at the University of Kuopio from Finland conducted a study that included 1380 middle-aged eastern Finnish men. Findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition revealed that a high consumption of flavonoids is related to a decreased carotid arthrosclerosis. Men with the lowest intake of flavonoids also tended to have the worst carotid artery diameter and, thus, greater risk of heart disease.  

3. Diabetes management

A research published in the journal Diabetic Medicine showed that among men with Type 2 diabetes, adding a flavonoid-rich spice mix to hamburger meat improved their vascular function during subsequent hours. What does this mean? Findings indicate that flavonoids have a great potential to prevent cardiovascular disease in individuals with diabetes.

Besides lowering the cardiovascular disease risk in diabetics, flavonoids also reduce the chances of getting Type 2 diabetes in the first place. The journal Clinical Nutrition presented a review that assessed the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and flavonoid intake. The review examined six cohorts involving 18,146 cases and 284,806 participants in total. Findings showed that an increase in total flavonoids intake was associated with a significant risk reduction of 5%.  

What makes flavonoids beneficial for diabetics? It’s because increased intake of these phytonutrients leads to reduced aldose reductase, regeneration of pancreatic beta cells, and heightened insulin release.

4. Cancer prevention

Although research in this area is quite limited and results are mixed due to a number of factors that affected the final outcome, there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that flavonoids may have a cancer prevention role. For example, study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that women with higher levels of flavone intake had lower chances of developing breast cancer.

Review of evidence on this topic published in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatricsexplained that anticancer properties of flavonoids include inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, inflammation, invasion, and activation of apoptosis.

5. Neurodegenerative disease prevention

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics of flavonoids could help protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The paper published in the Genes and Nutrition explained that these phytonutrients have a neuroprotective purpose. These actions involve a wide array of effects within a brain such as protecting neurons against injury induced by neurotoxins, suppressing neuroinflamamtion, and so on. Flavonoids increase blood flow to the brain, thus improving cognitive function, memory, and improving a healthy lifestyle.  

Flavonoid-rich foods

• Berries
• Fruits that grow on trees
• Nuts and beans
• Vegetables
• Spices
• Fruit juices made from raw, unprocessed fruits
• Red wine
• Tea, particularly black, red, and green varieties

Conclusion

Flavonoids are phytonutrients found primarily in fruits and vegetables. They carry a wide array of health benefits and have a tremendous potential to improve our overall health and wellbeing. Since they’re inseparable part of produce, flavonoids account for the crucial aspect of healthy diet. What are you waiting for? Start increasing intake of fruits and vegetables today!

References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7848021
http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i17