Flavonoids are naturally occurring chemicals present in a variety of foods and drinks, including black and green tea, apples, almonds, citrus fruit, berries, and others. They've long been recognised to offer several health advantages, but recent Edith Cowan University (ECU) study suggests they could be much better than previously thought. The Heart Foundation funded a study of 881 elderly women (median age 80) that discovered they were far less likely to develop extensive abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) if they consumed a high level of flavonoids in their diet.
AAC is the calcification of the abdominal aorta, the largest artery in the body that transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the abdominal organs and lower limbs, and it is a risk factor for cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. It's also been shown to be a good predictor of late-life dementia. According to Ben Parmenter, an ECU Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute researcher and study lead, while there were many dietary sources of flavonoids, some had particularly high amounts.
If you enjoy tea and the above-mentioned recipe peaked your attention, here's another herbal drink that's good for you. Turmeric tea is another fantastic drink that can be produced by combining grated turmeric with hot water. If not, a few slices of raw turmeric can be added. To improve the overall flavour of the tea, add honey and lemon.
"In most societies, a small set of foods and drinks that are exceptionally rich in flavonoids represent the majority of total dietary flavonoid consumption," he added. "Black or green tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, red wine, apples, raisins/grapes, and dark chocolate are generally the biggest contributions." There are several other kinds of flavonoids, such as flavan-3-ols and flavonols, which appear to have a link with AAC, according to the study. Participants in the study who consumed more total flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols were 36-39 percent less likely to have widespread AAC.
Black tea was the primary source of total flavonoids in the research sample, and it was also related with a considerably decreased risk of widespread AAC. Participants who drank two to six cups of tea per day had a 16-42 percent lower likelihood of having extensive AAC when compared to those who did not consume tea. Other dietary sources of flavonoids, such as fruit juice, red wine, and chocolate, did not, however, show a significant beneficial association with AAC. Though black tea was the study's main source of flavonoids (due to the participants' age), Parmenter said people could still benefit from flavonoids without brewing a cup.
"In women who do not consume black tea, higher overall non-tea flavonoid consumption appears to protect against widespread artery calcification," he stated. "This suggests that flavonoids derived from sources other than black tea may protect against AAC when tea is not ingested." According to Parmenter, this is significant since it allows non-tea drinkers to benefit from flavonoids in their diet. "Black tea may not be the primary source of flavonoids in other demographics or groups of people, such as young males or people from other countries," he noted.
