Health x Wellness
Berries And Tea Essential To Maintaining Weight As You Age
A new study reveals that consuming more foods containing flavonoids can help prevent age-related weight gain through adulthood.
Eating more does not necessarily equate to weight gain – not when it comes to flavonoids. As we approach late adulthood and our metabolic rates start to dwindle, adding extra inches to your waistline becomes no less a common affair. Especially with all the Lunar New Year feastings coming up, overindulging isn’t going to do your waistline any good. The good news is, age-related weight gain can actually be controlled when you add more flavonoids to your diet.
According to a new study published on the British Medical Journal (BMJ), increase intake of foods rich in flavonoids is associated with less weight gain over time. The study was conducted on around 120,000 US male and female participants aged 27 to 65, whom were observed over a period of up to 24 years.
While we already know that rich sources of flavonoids such as green tea aid in boosting metabolism and weight loss, this new study adds on to show that foods containing other subclasses of flavonoids can also achieve the same effect. Consuming more flavonoids – specifically anthocyanins (found mainly in blueberries and strawberries), flavonoid polymers (from teas and apples), and flavonols (from teas and onions) – was linked to healthy weight through adulthood.
Firstly, to understand “flavonoids” a little better, they are plant compounds found in various fruits and vegetables that can potentially counter weight gain. Flavonoids can be further divided into various subclasses, with some influencing weight more significantly than others.
If you couldn’t care less about gaining a little weight with age, think again. It is found that any small increase in weight (4.5 kilograms) between the ages of 40 to 60, is enough to set off a series of health risks including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Adversely, losing small amounts of weight (five to 10 kilograms), can have positive effects on health such as decreasing blood pressure and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
In essence, you might want to add more of the following flavonoid-rich foods into your diet if you’re hoping to maintain a healthy weight:
Blueberries
Strawberries
Tea
Apples
Pears
Prunes
Onions
Peppers
Celery
Grapes
With the recommended intake of at least five portions of fruits or vegetables a day, the study also reveals that adding just 80 grams of these a day can have a significant impact on your weight and overall health.
Nevertheless, a diet consisting solely of flavonoid-rich foods is not recommended as having a balanced diet is still vital for overall health and nutrition. Do note also that consuming flavonoids alone will not help with weight loss. Incorporating regular exercise into your daily regime would nicely complement your journey to weight loss.
