Eating berries slows cognitive decline

Strawberries, blueberries, and grapes are rich in nutrients and contain brain-healthy antioxidants that may slow age-related cognitive decline.

According to a 2012 study by Harvard Medical School, of more than 16,000 women aged 70 and over, those who ate about two servings of strawberries or one serving of blueberries per week (each serving is about 28g) had less mental decline over time than those who did not. Those who ate the most berries delayed cognitive decline by about 2.5 years.

Eating berries can help improve mental clarity thanks to flavonoids - plant metabolites, anthocyanidins have strong antioxidant properties. This compound can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain regions responsible for learning and memory.

Researchers concluded that higher anthocyanidin and total flavonoid intake from strawberries and blueberries was associated with slower cognitive decline. Older adults who ate more berries and consumed more flavonoids also had a lower risk of cognitive decline.

Berries include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Photo: Freepik — Berries include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Photo: *Freepik*

In 2022, scientists at Rush University, USA, conducted a study on 575 people, showing that the compound found in strawberries, pelargonidin, helps people who eat strawberries have fewer neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

Pelargonidin's anti-inflammatory properties reduce overall neuroinflammation, keeping tau proteins in the brain from misfolding, thus improving the transport of nutrients from one part of the brain's neurons to another, helping to prevent Alzheimer's disease. Abnormal changes in tau protein in the brain are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

According to the study authors, eating about 1/2 cup of strawberries a day can be eaten with yogurt or made into smoothies to benefit the brain, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Strawberries and other berries also provide daily water to maintain better hydration (supplying water to the body's organs), prevent dehydration, and benefit memory. According to a 2017 study by Yale School of Medicine, USA, dehydration can lead to acute decline in mental function including visual memory, working memory, and executive function of the brain.

Eating blueberries can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress related to oxidative stress. According to a 2017 study by Erzurum University of Technology, Türkiye, and several other organizations, blueberries are rich in brain-healthy antioxidants called flavonoids. These compounds have powerful antioxidant properties that protect the thin membranes surrounding brain cells from oxidative stress that leads to anxiety and depression.

Mai Cat (According to Everyday Health )

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