Dark chocolate and red wine don’t have to be guilty pleasures. In fact, they could help you live longer.
The key to what makes them healthy are flavonoids, compounds found in plant-based foods that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidants reduce negative impacts of harmful environmental exposures like smoke and ultraviolet radiation, while anti-inflammatories can reduce body-wide inflammation associated with obesity, heart disease, arthritis and other chronic illnesses.
Scientists have long-known these compounds can reduce the risk of chronic disease. But a new first-of-its kind study found getting a variety of flavonoids from different foods is better than just consuming large amounts from one source – and could reduce your risk of death by 14 percent.
The study tracked the volume and variety of flavonoids consumed by 124,805 participants between the ages of 40 and 70, accounting for sociodemographics, lifestyle, diet and medical risk factors.
Dr Benjamin Parmenter, research fellow at Edith Cowan University in Australia, said: ‘Different flavonoids work in different ways, some improve blood pressure, others help with cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation.
‘This study is significant as the results indicate that consuming a higher quantity and wider diversity [of flavonoids] has the potential to lead to a greater reduction in ill health than just a single source.’
Dark chocolate and red wine are flavonoid-rich foods that can be incorporated into a healthy diet (stock image)
Dark chocolate and red wine are just two examples of high-flavonoid foods that can be part of a healthy diet and should be consumed along with other flavonoid-rich foods and beverages, such as tea, apples, berries, oranges and grapes.
Those with chronic inflammatory illnesses like obesity stand to benefit the most from a varied, high-flavonoid diet.
When consumed through food, flavonoids have essentially no risk of negative effects. Flavonoid toxicity is only possible by taking too many high-potency supplements.
The study, published in the journal Nature, tracked diets using information from the UK biobank, a large, population-based cohort study that records biological data over time.
Participants filled out the Oxford WebQ 24-hour dietary questionnaire up to five times over the course of three years.
Researchers then compared that data with the dates and causes of participants’ deaths and hospital admissions to determine the relationship between their diets and their health.
The researchers found people who consumed the widest variety of flavonoids, characterized as consuming an additional 6.7 flavonoid types per day, had a 14 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 10 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
They also had a 20 percent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and an eight percent lower risk of cancer when compared to those who ate the lowest variety.
But quantity is still important.
Red wine is a date night staple, but it’s also one of the richest sources of flavonoids (stock image)
Participants in the study who consumed about 500mg of flavonoids per day had a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality.
Risk of cardiovascular disease was reduced by nine percent; type 2 diabetes reduced by 12 percent; and respiratory disease reduced by 13 percent when compared to people who ate just 230 mg per day.
‘Flavonoid intake of around 500 milligrams a day was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality,’ according to Dr Parmenter.
‘That’s roughly the amount of flavonoids that you would consume in two cups of tea,’ he said.
A 5oz glass of red wine on average contains about 130 milligrams of flavonoids. A bar of dark chocolate can contain anywhere from 200 milligrams to 1,000 milligrams depending on the size, manufacturer and cacao percentage.
The above shows the sources of flavonoids participants consumed during the study
The above shows the effects of flavonoids on several health conditions and mortality
Take note, however, to not eat too much chocolate or wine due to their high calorie counts.
A 100g bar of 70 to 85 percent dark chocolate contains about 600 calories, and a 5oz glass of wine has around 120 calories.
A high-flavonoid meal plan could include a cup of tea in the morning with some fruits like apples and berries for breakfast, followed by dark chocolate for dessert at lunch and a glass of red wine with dinner.
Professor Aedín Cassidy, study co-author, said: ‘The results provide a clear public health message, suggesting that simple and achievable dietary swaps, such as drinking more tea and eating more berries and apples for example, can help increase the variety and intake of flavonoid-rich foods, and potentially improve health in the long-term.’
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