Consuming fruit and a cup of coffee a day can halve risk of unhealthy cell ageing, study suggests

Moderate coffee consumption (up to one cup per day) was associated with a 26% lower risk of short telomeres and four to five servings of fruit a day was also linked to a lower risk. Photograph: golero/Getty Images

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.