Consuming more flavonoid-rich foods — including berries, apples, oranges, and black tea — may promote healthier aging, particularly in women, according to a Harvard-led analysis published in May 2025 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers evaluated data from more than 86,400 adults ages 60 and older (73% women), who were tracked for more than 24 years. Participants completed food frequency questionnaires at the study’s start and every subsequent four years, and also reported any experiences with frailty, impaired physical function, or poor mental health. Women who consumed the highest amounts of flavonoids had a 15% lower risk of frailty, 12% lower risk of impaired physical function, and 12% lower risk of poor mental health compared with women with the lowest flavonoid intake. In men, higher flavonoid consumption was associated with only a lower risk of poor mental health.

The findings add to earlier research indicating that people who consume higher amounts of flavonoids tend to live longer and are less likely to develop chronic diseases such as dementia, diabetes, or heart disease. Flavonoids are well recognized for reducing inflammation, supporting healthy blood vessels, and helping maintain muscle mass, the study authors said.

(Maureen Salamon is executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.)

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