According to recent research, eating a little blueberries every day can stave off the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and the typical symptoms of dementia, especially in middle-aged people.
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It is said that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but in reality there is another fruit that has incredible benefits for our health, especially to reduce the risk of Alzheimer. In fact, according to a recent study carried out by the University of Cincinnati, the addition of blueberries in their daily diet in the middle-aged population has been shown to reduce the possibility of developing the disease senile dementia. (Read also: Blueberries, the best anti-aging! That’s why they make us age well)
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Research published in the journal Nutrients studied the benefits of blueberries on people at risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia. Fruits possess particularly high levels of anthocyanins, a class of water-soluble dyes belonging to the flavonoid family that give blueberries their classic blue color and also help defend plants from excessive exposure to sun radiation, infectious agents and other threats. These same properties that help blueberries survive also provide gods benefits to humanssuch as reducing inflammation, improving metabolic function, and increasing energy production within cells.
The researchers focused on 33 patients between the ages of 50 and 65, the age at which Alzheimer’s begins to develop, who were overweight, pre-diabetic and had experienced memory lapses. Over a 12-week period, patients were asked to refrain from consuming any type of berries except one daily sachet of powdered supplement to mix with water and consume for breakfast or dinner. Participants then underwent tests that measured certain cognitive abilities that decline with dementia, such as memory functions, mental flexibility, and self-control.
Patients who consumed blueberry supplements showed improvements in cognitive abilities like learning and memory. Participants also had reduced fasting insulin levels, which means having one better metabolic function able to burn fat more easily for energy. There was also a reduced oxidative stresswhich can lead to symptoms such as fatigue and memory loss.
The study needs further confirmation, but in the meantime it might be a great idea to add blueberries to your diet.
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Source: Nutrients
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