This is big news for those who love strawberries. According to researchers at the University of Cincinnati, consuming strawberries daily may decrease the risk of dementia for some middle-aged individuals. Their results were recently published in the journal Nutrients.
Overweight patients with mild cognitive impairment who participated in a 12-week study were instructed to avoid eating berries, with the exception of a daily packet of supplement powder mixed with water and taken with breakfast. Participants between the ages of 50 and 65 were split into two groups, with one group given a powder equivalent to one cup of whole strawberries and the other group given a placebo.
The study monitored the participants’ long-term memory, mood, and metabolic health. The group that consumed the strawberry powder saw improvements in a word-list learning test and a significant reduction in depressive symptoms.
“Both strawberries and blueberries contain antioxidants called anthocyanins, which have been linked to various health benefits such as cognitive and metabolic enhancements,” stated Robert Krikorian, a professor in the UC College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. He also researched the health effects of blueberry consumption in the past.
Krikorian also mentioned that strawberries contain ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. He theorized that the strawberries in the study improved cognitive function by reducing inflammation in the brain.
Krikorian suggested that future research should include more participants and varying strawberry doses. While the research was supported by the California Strawberry Commission, they played no role in the study’s design, data collection, analysis, or results publication.
