How can eating fruit and drinking a cup of coffee each day benefit the body? A recent scientific study answers that question, suggesting that daily consumption of both is associated with halving the risk of unhealthy cellular aging.
Polyphenols and Telomeres
According to the researchers, foods rich in polyphenols, including berries, apples, and beverages such as coffee, cocoa, and tea, are already known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The new study, however, finds that they are also associated with a lower risk of developing short telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes, which when shortened increase the risk of cell death and unhealthy aging.
Researchers from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, measured telomere length in samples from more than 1,700 adults in 2008 and again in 2015, while also assessing each participant’s overall polyphenol consumption.
Significant Risk Reduction
Moderate coffee consumption of up to one cup per day was associated with a 26% lower risk of having short telomeres compared with those who drank no coffee. Consuming four to five servings of fruit per day was also linked to a reduced risk, with those eating the most fruit showing a 29% lower likelihood of short telomeres compared to those eating the least.
Other polyphenol-rich foods, including olive oil, red wine, and vegetables, were not observed by the researchers to have a significant effect on telomere length risk.
Telomeres and Disease
Shorter telomeres have been linked to a higher risk of a range of age-related conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain forms of cancer, and overall mortality.
A Cumulative Effect
Isabella Kury Guzmán, the study’s lead author, said: “Our findings suggest a broader message: a diet rich in polyphenols, including foods like fruit and coffee, may be one piece of the puzzle in supporting healthier cellular aging. It is not about any single anti-aging food, but about the cumulative effect of daily dietary choices over time.”
Commenting on the findings, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, professor of human nutrition at King’s College London, said polyphenols have been associated with a reduced risk of age-related conditions including heart disease and cognitive decline, and that clinical studies show consuming these compounds can lower blood pressure and support vascular and brain function as we age.
Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition at the University of Reading, urged caution given how difficult it is to measure polyphenol intake precisely. He noted that it is not surprising that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables would have potential health benefits, but added that since plant-based foods are the main source of polyphenols, it is very difficult to determine whether any healthier aging outcomes are due specifically to polyphenols or simply to a generally healthy plant-rich diet.
