The 8 ‘super foods’ that help slash your risk of growing old before your time revealed

AN apple a day really can keep the doctor away – by slashing your risk of life-threatening falls.

Apples and blackberries contain a flavonol called quercetin that reduces the chance of frailty in old age, Harvard University researchers found.

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Just 10mg of flavonols a day — the amount found in a single apple — cuts the risk by 20 per cent.

Lead author Dr Shivani Sahni said: “There may be some validity to the old saying.

“Higher quercetin intake was the flavonoid that had the strongest association with frailty prevention.”

It suggests eating more foods with quercetin has “potential as a dietary strategy for frailty prevention”.

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Flavonoids are a group of naturally occurring chemicals that are known for their antioxidant effects.

Previous research suggests they also help reduce your chances of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes.

Flavonols are a smaller subgroup of flavonoids, while quercetin is a specific type of flavonol that is in apples, berries, onions, parsley, sage, tea, and red wine.

Current food guidelines focus on high-protein meals as a key recommendation for reducing frailty in old age.

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The latest study, published in the , explored other food groups that could help prevent the condition.

Researchers followed around 1,7000 adults for around 12 years to see how their diet affected their chances of frailty.

None were frail at the start of the study and around 13.2 per cent had developed the condition by the end.

The total amount of flavonoids they ate had no significant impact on whether they became frail.

But flavanols, in particular quercetin, reduced their chances.

Dr Sahni said: “We showed that quercetin is associated with a lower risk of frailty when consumed in the diet.

“For reference, 10 mg of quercetin can be obtained from one apple or 100g of kale.

“Other quercetin-rich foods include blueberries, brassica vegetables, onions, and tea.”