Nutrition plays an important role in preventing dementia. Two types of fruits are said to be particularly suitable due to certain ingredients.
Although there is no absolute guarantee against developing dementia in old age, you can still keep your brain in good shape by following a healthy lifestyle. In addition to adequate physical exercise and social interaction, nutrition plays a particularly crucial role. Certain foods can boost brain health and thus reduce the risk of dementia. Recent research suggests that eating two types of fruits regularly can improve cognitive performance.
Two types of fruits can protect well against dementia
- Secondary plant substances such as flavonoids, which are found in various fruits and vegetables as well as in cocoa and tea, can have a positive effect on mental performance.
- One Stady from Columbia University in New York examined the relationship between flavonoids and mental fitness.
- The study included about 3,600 healthy people aged about 70 years.
- Half of the participants took 500 milligrams of flavanols found in cocoa daily, while the other half received a placebo.
- Urine samples were used to accurately quantify flavonoids in a subgroup of 1,400 people.
- Mental performance was measured using tests.
- The results showed that people who ate the best diet had the least decline in mental fitness.
- Supplementing flavanols in pill form improved cognitive performance and prevented decline in participants with low flavonoid intake.
- In participants who regularly ate apples and berries, adding flavanols had no effect. Therefore, these two types of fruits protect against dementia.
- Flavonoids could therefore be useful in preventing dementia-related diseases, but it is unclear whether there is a critical time window for their effect, suggests Professor Dr. Bernhard Watzl, President of the German Nutrition Society, noted. According to the expert, you may already be making groundbreaking decisions about what you eat when you’re 20 or 40 years old.
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This article only contains general information about the health topic in question and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It does not, in any way, replace a visit to a doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team cannot answer individual questions about medical conditions.
This article was created using automated assistance and was carefully reviewed by editor Judith Brown before publication.
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