Recently, Jakarta has been named the city with the worst air pollution. The huge number of motor vehicles and smokers are two of the main causes of poor air quality in Jakarta. This is certainly not good for your body's health and can lead to some chronic diseases.

To protect the body from pollution, one thing you can do is to consume foods that are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that can help fight free radicals in the body. Vegetables, fruits, and nuts are good sources of antioxidants. One type of antioxidant that we commonly hear is flavonoids, which included in the category of phenols and has a myriad of health benefits for the body, especially in reducing the risk of heart-related diseases to cancer.

According to the results of a recent study conducted in Edith Cowan University, consumption of foods or beverages rich in flavonoids such as apples or tea can protect the body from cancer and heart disease, especially for smokers and heavy drinkers. The researchers found that those who had a diet rich in flavonoids had a lower chance of dying from cancer or heart disease. In the study, it was found that at least 500mg per day was needed to reduce the risk of death related to the two diseases.

A smoker and drinker has a higher risk of swelling and damage to blood vessels compared to those who have a healthy lifestyle. This certainly can increase the risk of several types of diseases, including heart disease and cancer. The researchers explain that flavonoids are known for their anti-inflammatory role. This explains why flavonoids are associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease and cancer.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Adobe Stock Image

Source(s):

• Bondonno, N.P, Dalgaard, F., Kyro, C., et all (2019). Flavonoid intake is associated with lower mortality in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Cohort. Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038 / s41467-019-11622-x.
• Science Daily - Flavonoid-rich diet protects against cancer and heart disease, study find (2019). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190813080204.htm, 19 August 2019.