Eating fruit and drinking a cup of coffee a day could halve the risk of cells ageing unhealthily, research suggests.

Foods rich in polyphenols such as berries, apples, coffee, cocoa and tea are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but a new study has found they are also associated with a lower risk of short telomeres, the “ends” or caps of DNA that, when shorter, increase the risk of cell death and unhealthy ageing.

Researchers from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, measured the length of telomeres in samples from more than 1,700 adults in 2008 and also in 2015 and assessed participants’ total polyphenol consumption.

The study, presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, found that compared with those who consumed the least polyphenols, those with the highest amounts in their diets had a 52% lower risk of short telomeres.

Moderate coffee consumption (up to one cup per day) was associated with a 26% lower risk of short telomeres compared with non-consumers, while four to five servings of fruit a day was also linked to a lower risk, with participants consuming the most fruit having a 29% lower risk of having short telomeres compared with those who ate the least.

Other polyphenol-rich foods such as olive oil, red wine and vegetables were not observed by the researchers as affecting the risk of shorter telomeres.

Shorter telomeres have been linked to a higher risk of several age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and overall mortality.

Isabella Kury Guzmán, the lead author of the study, said: “Our findings point to a broader message: a diet rich in polyphenols, including foods like fruits and coffee, may be one piece of the puzzle in supporting healthier cellular ageing. This is not about one ‘anti-ageing’ food, but about the cumulative effect of everyday dietary choices over time.”

Responding to the findings, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, a professor of human nutrition at King’s College London, said: “Polyphenols have been linked to a lower risk of age-related diseases, including heart disease and cognitive decline. Clinical studies show that consumption of these compounds can lower blood pressure and support blood vessel and brain function as we age. This study adds to growing evidence that diets rich in polyphenols may support healthier ageing.”

Gunter Kuhnle, a professor of nutrition at the University of Reading, urged caution, as measuring polyphenol intake accurately is very difficult.

“It is not surprising that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has potential health benefits,” he added. “A diet rich in plant foods is linked to longer telomeres and potentially healthier ageing. But because plant-based foods are the main source of polyphenols, it is very difficult to distinguish between whether that healthier ageing is due specifically to the polyphenols or the fact of eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.”