Getting a moderate amount of plant substances called flavonoids through food may be linked to a lower stomach cancer risk in women – but not in men, according to a European study.

The researchers, writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that women with the highest intake of flavonoids were half as likely to develop the disease as women who had the smallest intake.

“A flavonoid-rich diet is based on plant-based foods (such as) fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, nuts, legumes, and their derived products (tea, chocolate, wine),” lead author Raul Zamora-Ros told Reuters Health by e-mail.

“This kind of diet combined with less consumption of red and processed meat can be a good way to reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer,” added Zamora-Ros, a researcher at the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Spain.

The findings don’t prove that flavonoids alone can ward off the disease, because other factors such as a healthier lifestyle may play a role.

Green tea contains a large amount of flavonoids, with more than 12,511 mg per 100 g of leaves.

Pinto beans also contain a lot, with about 769 mg per 100 g of beans.

Women who got more than 580 mg of flavonoids per day had a 51 per cent lower risk of developing stomach cancer than women who consumed no more than 200 mg a day.