Tuesday June 11, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating foods rich in flavonoids including black tea may help reduce the risk for developing advanced or lethal prostate cancer, according to a new study in American Journal of Epidemiology.

Flavonoids are found high in all citrus fruits, berries, ginkgo biloba, onions , parsley, pulses, white and green teas, red grapes, seabuckthorn, and dark chocolate.

M.S. Geybels and colleagues conducted the Netherlands Cohort Study and found intake of total catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol, and myricetin and drinking black tea were correlated with decreased risk for advanced prostate cancer.

The study involved 58279 men who provided information on several cancer risk factors at baseline and between 1986 and 2003 during which 3362 prostate cancers were identified including 1164 advanced prostate cancer.

Men who drank 5 or more cups per day of black tea were found 25 and 33 percent reduced risk for stage III/IV and stage IV prostate cancer, respectively, compared with those drinking on 1 or less cups per day.

Intake of flavonoids was not associated with overall prostate cancer and non- advanced prostate cancer.

The study concluded "dietary flavonoid intake and black tea consumption were associated with a decreased risk of advanced stage prostate cancer."

Prostate cancer in most cases is non-aggressive, that is, it does not pose a life-threatening risk.  Men aged 70 or older may not have to participate in any prostate cancer screening and diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer do not help them because they are more likely to die from other health conditions. (reporting by David Liu, PHD)