A new study published on May 19 local time highlighted the neuroprotective potential of cranberries The team studied the benefits of eating the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day in people aged 50 to 80. They hope their findings will have an impact on the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.
Lead researcher Dr. David vauzour is from the Norwich School of medicine at UEA, He said: "It is estimated that dementia will affect about 152million people by 2050. At present, there is no known treatment, so we must seek lifestyle interventions that can be changed, such as diet, which may help to reduce the risk and burden of disease. Previous studies have shown that higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with slower cognitive decline and the incidence of dementia. Foods rich in anthocyanins and procyanidins make berries red and blue Color, or purple, has been found to improve cognitive ability. Cranberries are rich in these micronutrients, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been recognized. We wanted to find out more about how cranberries help reduce age-related neurodegeneration. "
The team investigated the effects of eating cranberries for 12 weeks on brain function and cholesterol in 60 cognitive health participants.
Half of the participants ate freeze-dried Cranberry powder every day, equivalent to a cup or 100 grams of fresh cranberries. The other half took a placebo.
The study is one of the first to study cranberries and their long-term effects on human cognition and brain health.
The results showed that eating cranberries significantly improved the participants' memory of daily events (visual explicit memory), neural function and blood delivery to the brain (cerebral perfusion).
Dr. vauzour said: "We found that participants who ate Cranberry powder showed significantly improved explicit memory performance, and improved the circulation of basic nutrients such as oxygen and glucose in important parts of the brain that support cognition, especially memory consolidation and retrieval. The cranberry group also showed a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein or 'bad' cholesterol levels, which is well known that low-density lipoprotein or 'bad' cholesterol levels can lead to arterial porridge Atherosclerosis - thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by the accumulation of plaques on the inner walls of the arteries. This supports the view that cranberries can improve vascular health and may promote the improvement of brain perfusion and cognition to some extent. Proving that cranberry supplements can improve cognitive ability in humans and identifying some responsible mechanisms is an important step in this field. The results of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that the relatively short 12 week Cranberry intervention can produce significant improvements in memory and neurological function. This has laid an important foundation for future research in the field of cranberry and nervous system health. "