Author: Dean Rouseberg
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Fruits and tea rich in three types of flavonoids significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's and disease-related dementias.
Consumption of apples, berries and tea prevents the development of Alzheimer's , it became clear from a long study of the Research Center for the Impact of Human Nutrition on Aging "Jean Mayer" (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University.
A publication in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition describes that regular consumption of flavonoid-rich foods reduces the risk of the disease by two to four times compared to people whose menu does not include them.
Tea, especially green, and forest fruits are a rich source of flavonoids, said study author Esra Shishtar of the Gerald J. School of Nutrition. Dorothy R. Friedman ”at the University.
For this purpose, it is enough to take a cup of tea a day and fruit two or three times a week to get the obvious advantage in terms of prevention of dementia.
Researchers in the USDA HNRCA's Food Epidemiology Program examine the long-term link between flavonoid-rich diets and the development of Alzheimer's and disease-related dementias.
Data collection has been going on for two decades and includes 2,800 people over the age of 50.
They found that low intake of three types of flavonoids negatively affected cognitive abilities. The risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia is quadrupled with low consumption of anthocyanin- containing fruits. The phytochemical is found in blueberries, strawberries and red wine.
The risk of low consumption of flavonol- rich and flavonoid polymer- rich products, such as apples, pears and tea, is twice as high .
The researchers analyzed the long-term health effects of six types of flavonoids, and their observations began long before the first symptoms of Alzheimer's appeared. Low flavonoid intake refers to absent or negligible consumption of fruit and tea, such as two apples a month and no tea. High intake of flavonoids means the consumption of 750 g of blueberries or strawberries , 8 apples and pears and 19 cups of tea per month.
The study once again shows how diet affects health and specifically the brain in the long run. When there is no therapy for this type of dementia, an important role in dealing with it is to prevent it and make efforts to prevent it.
Sometimes the better quality of life in old age depends on very small adjustments in nutrition at a younger age, experts from the center comment.
Flavonoids are natural substances found in plants, including fruits and vegetables, and products derived from them, such as tea and wine. Dark chocolate is also a good source of flavonoids .
This is not the first time that their health benefits have been documented, as their main property is to reduce them in inflammatory processes. According to researchers, it is not too late to make changes in diet even at the age of 50, and this will certainly give positive results on the condition of the mind .