Adding a handful of berries to your breakfast could boost polyphenol intake (Image: Getty)
Eating berries and drinking one cup of coffee per day may boost healthy ageing, according to research. A study of more than 1,700 people looked at consumption of polyphenols — natural, antioxidant-rich compounds found in plants. It found that people who ate the most polyphenols had a 52% lower risk of short telomeres, which are the ends or caps of DNA strands.
They protect crucial genetic information from being lost or damaged during cell division, similar to the plastic tips on shoelaces. Shorter telomeres increase the risk of cell death and unhealthy ageing.
Study leader Isabella Kury Guzmán, from the University of Navarra in Spain, said: “Our findings point to a broader message: a diet rich in polyphenols, including foods like fruits and coffee, may be one piece of the puzzle in supporting healthier cellular ageing.
“This is not about one ‘anti-ageing’ food, but about the cumulative effect of everyday dietary choices over time.” Foods rich in polyphenols include berries, cocoa, red wine, nuts, olives, tea, coffee and soy.
The research found that people who drank a moderate amount of coffee (up to 1 cup per day) had a 26% lower risk of short telomeres than those who never drank coffee.
People who consumed the most fruit had a 29% lower risk compared to those who ate the least fruit. The findings will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, this week.
Commenting on the findings, Professor Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, an expert in human nutrition at King’s College London, said polyphenols had been linked to a lower risk of age-related diseases, including heart disease and cognitive decline.
Berries are a good source of antioxidant-rich polyphenols (Image: Getty)
She added: “Clinical studies show that consumption of these compounds can lower blood pressure and support blood vessel and brain function as we age.
“This study adds to growing evidence that diets rich in polyphenols may support healthier ageing.”
However, Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition at the University of Reading, warned that accurately measuring polyphenol intake was difficult.
He said: “Because plant-based foods are the main source of polyphenols, it is very difficult to distinguish between whether that healthier ageing is due specifically to the polyphenols or the fact of eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.”
Sasha Watkins, registered dietitian and head of health at Mindful Chef, said people who want to increase their polyphenol intake could eat a handful of berries with breakfast, introduce a wider mix of herbs and spices when cooking, or have an extra portion of vegetables.
She added: “The more colourful and varied your meals, the wider the range of good things you’re likely eating. But above all, the simplest message still stands: eat more plants.”
