Berries Guard Against Memory Loss In Adults

Mar, 2023 - By SMI

According to a recent study, elderly women who consume a lot of flavonoid-rich berries can postpone memory loss by 2.5 years.

Almost all people undoubtedly already knew that eating fresh fruit and berries was healthy, but until now, it was unclear how healthy. Researchers observed a slight reduction in memory impairment in women who ingested two or more servings of blueberries and strawberries each week. According to Harvard scholar Elizabeth Devore of the Channing Lab, this impact seems to be achievable with only minor dietary adjustments.

There is no denying the health benefits of berries. But could berries like blueberries and strawberries might aid in remaining mentally bright.  According to a recent study by Harvard scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), older women who consume a lot of flavonoid-rich berries over time—such as blueberries and strawberries—can postpone memory loss by 2.5 years. The American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society's Annals of Neurology, a publication, released this report on April 26.

The vast amount of data we examined over such a lengthy period of time is what distinguishes our study from others. No previous berry study has been carried out on this magnitude, according to lead author Elizabeth Devore, a researcher in the Channing Laboratory at BWH. They observed a slight reduction in memory deterioration among women who ingested two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries per week. It seems possible to achieve this effect with relatively easy dietary changes.

This investigation was supported by grants from the California Strawberry Commission and the National Institutes of Health, and it was independently supervised by the researchers who handled the data analysis.

Devore, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said, "They offer the first epidemiologic proof that berries appear to delay progression of memory impairment in elderly women. These findings have important implications for public health since increasing berry intake is a relatively easy dietary change that can help older persons' memory deterioration.