Boosting Heart and Brain Health with Flavonoid-Rich Foods
Key Takeaways:
- Flavonoids, present in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods, have numerous health benefits including combatting different types of cancer, reducing heart disease risk, and preserving brain functionality.
- The Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets, which emphasize flavonoid-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans, are often recommended for heart and brain health.
- Increasing flavonoid consumption can be as simple as integrating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, with foods like berries, cherries, apples, grapes, leeks, and leafy greens all being rich in flavonoids.
- Consuming a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, or “eating a rainbow,” can increase the nutritional value of your meals.
- Beyond fresh foods, frozen fruits, beverages like red wine and tea, and even dark chocolate can be good sources of flavonoids.
Ever wondered what blueberries, spinach, and dark chocolate could possibly have in common? They all share a richness in flavonoids. These chemical compounds, present in plentiful amounts in plants, are responsible for their vivid colors and healing effects. Flavonoids present wide-ranging health benefits, from combatting different types of cancer and heart disease risk reduction to helping preserve brain functionality. They have also been applied in skincare regimens for their anti-aging properties.
The Power of Flavonoids
According to Kristina Petersen, a nutritional sciences assistant professor at Texas Tech University, a standout benefit of flavonoids for our health relates to their anti-inflammatory impacts and excellent antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants help our bodies combat inflammation and ageing. Additionally, flavonoids inherent blood clot impeding properties. Recent studies show that flavonoids found in foods like berries, red wine, apples, and pears can beneficially influence gut bacteria and lead to lower blood pressure.
Flavonoids and Diverse Diets
Dietic plans like the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND, often recommended by heart and brain health specialists, place a strong emphasis on flavonoid-rich foods. The central ingredients for these diets are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans, all rich in flavonoids. However, statistics suggest that a majority of U.S. inhabitants do not consummate the necessary daily flavonoids intake, mainly due to low fruit and vegetable consumption.
Kristina Petersen suggests a simple solution – an increase in flavonoids consumption. Many fruits, vegetables, and other food groups contain these beneficial compounds, indicating that integrating them into daily meals isn’t as challenging as it seems.
Foods such as berries, cherries, apples, grapes, leeks, and leafy greens like spinach, romaine lettuce, and kale, all carry high flavonoids content. Also, savories like garlic and onions and soybeans are great sources.
Eating A Rainbow
For maximum nutritional value, Petersen further recommends a colorful variety of flavonoid-rich foods. “The goal is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colors. Eat a rainbow,” as she advises.
If you’re not accustomed to eating an extensive range of produce, start small. “Eat one more piece of fruit per day. Put one more vegetable on your plate at dinner time. Small changes can lead to sustainable and healthy dietary habits,” Peterson encourages.
Other Sources of Flavonoids
While eating fresh, unprocessed food is the best approach to acquiring flavonoids, there are alternatives. When fresh fruits are not accessible, frozen berry mixes can be efficient substitutes. Flash-frozen fruits and vegetables are still nutrient-rich and can offer variety throughout the different seasons.
Beverages like red wine and tea, particularly black or green tea, provide beneficial flavonoids. Although juicing fruits and vegetables can strip them of beneficial dietary fiber, it can be an ideal method of introducing flavonoids into your diet, according to Petersen.
One of the enjoyable ways of adding flavonoids to your diet is through the consumption of dark chocolate.
Enjoying Your Flavonoid Intake
There’s no need to force down foods you don’t enjoy in pursuit of flavonoids. The key is to consume the ones you enjoy and not shy away from trying new ones.
Those already committed to the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND diets, or any quality plant-based diet, are well on their way. The aim, as Petersen underlines, is to “consume a healthy dietary pattern. And if we’re doing that, we’re going to be consuming enough flavonoids.”
By Laura Williamson
