Dutch researchers show the interest of consuming a small fruit (well known) to improve cognitive performance and slow down brain aging.
Diet plays an important role in brain health and cognitive decline, particularly involved in the disease Alzheimer’s which would affect between 80,000 and one million people in France. diets such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet have been associated with a slowing cognitive decline and a reduced risk of dementia. Among their common points, a food what have highlighted Dutch researchers in a study published June 2 in the scientific journal Clinical Nutrition. Their original objective was to study the long term effects consumption of this fruit on the cerebrovascular function of the elderly, in particular on the improvement of their cognitive performance. They made up a group of 28 people aged 65 on average, in good health. The participants were separated into two groups. The first consumed 60 grams of walnuts mixed (walnuts, pistachios, cashews and hazelnuts) per day for 16 weekswhile the other group did not consume nuts.
Participants were able to memorize 16% more words
At the end of the study, the researchers showed that participants who had eaten nuts were able to remember 16% more words during a verbal memory exercise, compared to those who did not eat it. They also found that eating nuts could help maintain the flexibility and elasticity of the arteries, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health. In addition, nuts provided improvements in the small blood vessels located in the eyes. According to scientists, the consumption of nuts would increase the blood circulation in different areas of the brain and would thus have positive effects on memory. THEs oilseeds would also improve peripheral blood circulation (outside the brain).
“Cognitive decline is slower”
“Our brain is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress, which damages brain cells over time, resulting in memory decline and cognitive functions. Although cognitive decline is part of the normal aging process, it is slower when we consume more antioxidants, which are essential for reducing oxidative stress. Nuts, especially nuts contain significant amounts of antioxidants” explained Dani Felber, a dietitian specializing in brain health and interviewed by Medical News Today. In the study, however, nut consumption did not improve ability to make decisions, the level of stress felt and the quality of life in general. A study on a larger sample would be needed to develop possible recommendations on the consumption of nuts for the brain. In 2014, research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease had shown thata handful of nuts a day reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and would even slow down its evolution in people already affected.