Berries

Consumption of high amounts of berries that are rich in flavonoid may halt memory decline in older women, according to new study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the US.

The study, titled ‘Dietary intakes of berries and flavonoids in relation to cognitive decline,’ observed that certain types of berries are capable of dropping cognitive reduction in elderly women.

Published in Annals of Neurology, the report reveals that high consumption of blueberries and strawberries, which contain very high amounts of flavonoids, delays memory decline by up to 2.5 years, when compared to berries containing lower amounts of flavonoids.

The research team, led by Dr Elizabeth Devore, considered data from the Nurses’ Health Study – which includes information from over 120,000 women, nutraingredients.com reported.

The participants completed health and lifestyle questionnaires starting in 1976, and were surveyed on food consumption every four years since 1980.

The study includes data from 16,010 women with age of over 70 who got their memory and cognitive functions tested every two years between 1995 and 2001.

The researchers said that the results of the observation show that higher consumption of blueberries and strawberries was linked with a reduced rate of memory decline in elderly women, with an increased consumption of anthocyanidins and total flavonoids also associated with slowing memory decline.

However, the study could not rule out the possibility that the preserved cognition in people who consume more berries may be also influenced by other lifestyle choices.

Devore said that the new study provides the first epidemiologic proof that berries could slow advancement of cognitive decline in older women.

"Our findings have significant public health implications as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to test cognition protection in older adults.," Devore added.

Image: The study observed that certain types of berries are capable of dropping cognitive reduction in elderly women. Photo: Kazvorpal