A new study reveals that a simple but effective dietary routine can help fend off Alzheimer’s Disease. Apparently, eating more Fresh Fruit as you get older can keep your brain feeling younger. It’s never too late to start. The only question is, will folks over 50 make the effort?
Berries – particularly Blueberries – are high in flavonoids, which are
now believed to fend off Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
An apple a day keeps dementia away?
Could be.
Researchers at the Tufts University Health Sciences Campus wanted to explore the effects of compounds called flavonoids had over long periods of time in relation to Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD). Many previous studies had examined the effects of flavonoids over short periods of time but long-term effects had not been studied.
Flavonoid-rich foods include Apples, Pears, Berries, Onions, Dark Chocolate, Tea and Red Wine. Their health benefits are already known to include the reduction of systemic inflammation, a condition which in turn has been linked to increased risk of a number of chronic diseases including cardiopulmonary disease.
What they did
The Tufts team looked at the effects of regular consumption of foods rich in flavinoids over a 20 year period in a participant group of 2,800 subjects.
Their focus was on three types of flavonoids in particular: flavinols, anthocyanins and flavonoid polymers.
What they found
- Low intake of flavonols (Apples, Pears and Tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing ADRD.
- Low intake of anthocyanins (Blueberries, Strawberries, and Red Wine) was associated with a four-fold risk of developing ADRD.
- Low intake of flavonoid polymers (Apples, Pears, and Tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing ADRD.
The takeaway
“Our study gives us a picture of how diet over time might be related to a person’s cognitive decline, as we were able to look at flavonoid intake over many years prior to participants’ dementia diagnoses,” said Dr. Paul Jacques, Senior Author of the study report. “With no effective drugs currently available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, preventing disease through a healthy diet is an important consideration.”
“Tea, specifically green tea, and berries are good sources of flavonoids,” said First Author Dr. Esra Shishtar. “When we look at the study results, we see that the people who may benefit the most from consuming more flavonoids are people [starting] at the lowest levels of intake, and it doesn’t take much to improve levels. A cup of tea a day or some berries two or three times a week would be adequate,” she said.
Shishtar also noted that anyone over age 50 could benefit from starting to consume more falvonoids – well before age 70, when the risk of Alzheimer’s and associated dementias commonly begins to increase.
My take
I’ve posted in this space previously about the benefits of Red Wine for your brain (in moderation, of course), and how it can boost your brain’s natural self-cleansing process. It’s all in the floavonoids – whatever source you get them from.
I’m all for the increased intake of flavonoids. And I can’t help but note all the other proven benefits of consuming more Fresh Fruits and Veggies, in general. Did I hear someone out there mention the Mediterranean Diet? It’s amazing how often new discoveries in nutrition and health loop back around to the Med Diet and it’s classic concentration on Fresh Fruits and Veggies, Poultry and Seafood, and whole grains. Have we got the message yet?
~ Maggie J.