How cranberries could improve memory and ward off dementia

Adding cranberries to your diet could help improve memory and brain function.

A new study shows the potential of cranberries.

The benefits of consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day were studied by the research team.

They hope that their findings will have implications for the prevention of dementia.

According to Dr Vauzour, dementia is expected to affect over 150 million people by the year 2050. There is no known cure for disease, so it's crucial that we seek lifestyle interventions that could help.

Studies have shown that higher intakes of flatonoid are associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia. Foods rich in proanthocyanidins, which give berries their red, blue, or purple colour, have been found to improve cognitive function.

Cranberries are rich in these micronutrients and have been recognized for their anti-Inflammatory andAntioxidant properties.

We wanted to find out more about how cranberries can help.

The impact of eating cranberries for 12 weeks on brain function and cholesterol was studied by the research team.

Half of the participants consumed freeze-dried cranberry powder every day. Half of the people consumed a placebo.

One of the first studies to examine the long-term impact of cranberries on brain health in humans.

The results showed that cranberry consumption improved the participants memory of everyday events, as well as their neural functioning and blood flow to the brain.

According to Dr Vauzour, the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen andglucose to important parts of the brain that support cognitive function.

The cranberry group showed a significant decrease in cholesterol levels that are known to contribute to the formation of plaques in the arteries. This supports the idea that cranberries can improve brain health.

It is important to demonstrate that cranberry supplements can improve cognitive performance in humans.

The findings of the study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function.

This establishes an important foundation for future research in the area of cranberries and neurological health.

A grant from The Cranberry Institute supported the study. It was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with researchers at the University of Parma, the University of the Netherlands and the Quadram Institute.

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The materials were provided by the University of East Anglia. Content can be edited for style and length.

Journal reference

1. Emma Flanagan, Donnie Cameron, Rashed Sobhan, Chloe Wong, Matthew G. Pontifex, Nicole Tosi, Pedro Mena, Daniele Del Rio, Saber Sami, Arjan Narbad, Michael Müller, Michael Hornberger, David Vauzour. Chronic Consumption of Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) for 12 Weeks Improves Episodic Memory and Regional Brain Perfusion in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Groups Feasibility Study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022; 9 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.849902