High Polyphenol Consumption Linked To Longer Life

Italian and U.S. scientists have for the first time used a nutritional biomarker – not just questionnaire data –  to prove that consumption of polyphenols – basically a diet rich in fruits and vegetables – increases lifespan. Polyphenols are compounds found in fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, nuts, legumes and cereals. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. The 12-year study followed 807 men and women aged 65 and over, measuring a biomarker known as total urinary polyphenol (TUP) concentration. Results showed that a high TUP – more than 650 mg of polyphenols a day – was associated with a 30 percent reduction in mortality.