A new study reveals beneficial findings about strawberry consumption. Eating strawberries every day can reduce the risk of developing dementia in the middle age.
The team of researchers that found the benefits of blueberries for prediabetic patients extended this research by investigating the benefits of strawberries. Their aim was to uncover the link between strawberries and berries. Whether it can improve cognitive performance and metabolic health.
The author of the study, Robert Krikorian said,
Both strawberries and blueberries contain antioxidants called anthocyanins, which have been implicated in a variety of berry health benefits such as metabolic and cognitive enhancements,
There is epidemiological data suggesting that people who consume strawberries or blueberries regularly have a slower rate of cognitive decline with aging.
The researchers included 30 individuals between the ages of 50 and 65 in the study. All of them were overweight and reported mild cognitive decline. Moreover, before the study commenced, the participants were told to refrain from eating berries or berry products for two weeks.
When the 12-week study began, they got powdered supplements to mix with water. They had to take it for breakfast every day. Half of them got powder with strawberries, and half of them received a placebo. Moreover, they also completed cognitive tests at the beginning and end of 12 weeks. In addition to their mood and metabolic state. Their insurance resistance level and cholesterol levels were tracked throughout.
Analysis
The data analysis revealed that the participants who got the strawberry supplement showed less difficulty recalling and recognizing information. Moreover, a significant decrease in depressive symptoms was also seen.
Krikorian suggests that this was because of
enhanced executive ability that would provide better emotional control and coping and perhaps better problem-solving.
However, no impact was seen on the metabolic health of the patients. Therefore, this contrasted with the previous research claiming that strawberries may have a positive effect.
Krikorian explained,
Executive abilities begin to decline in midlife and excess abdominal fat, as in insulin resistance and obesity, will tend to increase inflammation, including in the brain,
So, one might consider that our middle-aged, overweight, prediabetic sample had higher levels of inflammation that contributed to at least mild impairment of executive abilities. Accordingly, the beneficial effects we observed might be related to moderation of inflammation in the strawberry group.
