Eating strawberries daily may help reduce the risk of dementia in certain middle-aged individuals, according to researchers. The findings come from a 12-week experiment conducted on thirty overweight patients with mild cognitive impairment.
During the experiment, half of the participants were given strawberry powder equivalent to one cup of whole strawberries, while the other half received a placebo. The researchers then tracked the participants’ long-term memory, mood, and metabolic health.
The results revealed that those who consumed the strawberry powder showed improved performance on a word-list learning test and had fewer symptoms of depression. This suggests that the antioxidants called anthocyanins found in strawberries may be responsible for the cognitive and metabolic enhancements.
The study also found that the anti-inflammatory properties of strawberries may have reduced inflammation in the brain, leading to improved cognitive function.
It is important to note that the research was supported by the California Strawberry Commission, but they had no role in the study’s design, data collection, or publication of results.
Although these findings are promising, the study calls for future research with a larger sample size and different doses of strawberries to further explore their potential benefits.
Overall, incorporating strawberries into a daily diet may be a simple and delicious way to support brain health in middle-aged individuals and potentially reduce the risk of dementia.
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