Eating strawberries can help prevent dementia and depression

Observed improvements in executive cognitive control and emotional adjustment after strawberry consumption.

A new study published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal Nutrients Daily consumption of strawberries for 12 weeks is shown to reduce memory interference and depressive symptoms in overweight, middle-aged adults with mild cognitive decline.

Understanding dementia and nutritional impact

“Dementia is a broad term that includes many different diseases, all without a cure,” says Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., lead researcher and professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center. “It is not clear when or whether effective treatment will be available; Prevention and mitigation through dietary and lifestyle choices is currently our best approach.

Methodology and participant profile

This double-blind, randomized controlled trial included five men and 25 women. One group received strawberry powder made from dried, freeze-dried, and ground whole fruits. The second group received a control powder that was designed to have the same appearance, taste, and carbohydrate content as the strawberry powder and contain fiber but no polyphenols. Daily servings of strawberries and control powder were packaged in pouches for participant convenience and control of daily dosage.

Strawberries are very nutritious and offer many health benefits. They are particularly rich in vitamin C, providing 100% of the daily requirement in just one cup. This makes it excellent for supporting the immune system and skin health. Strawberries also contain heart-healthy nutrients such as folic acid and potassium, which contribute to cardiovascular health.

Each packet of strawberry powder contains 13 grams, providing 36.8 milligrams of anthocyanins from 130 grams of whole fruit and the equivalent of about one cup of whole fresh strawberries. Participants were also asked to stop consuming all berries, juices and extracts for the duration of the study. This was done to mitigate potential confounding related to group difference in consumption of berry products in the basal diet.

Justifications for the study and target group

“We wanted to work with an overweight middle-aged population, because dementia is a disease that appears to develop over several decades. Additionally, inflammation is likely a contributing factor in metabolic disorders such as overweight/obesity, diabetes, and diabetes.” Type 2 diabetes.

Results and implications

Specifically, results show that after the 12-week intervention, participants who received whole strawberry powder made fewer errors during a word list learning task (e.g., remembering/repeating words not included in the learning task). This is important for identifying cognitive decline, as interference with memory is not uncommon in the context of aging, especially in late-onset dementia. In addition, participants who received whole strawberry powder reported lower levels of depressive symptoms, which means improved emotional coping skills. “Our findings can likely be attributed to the anti-inflammatory actions of anthocyanins found in strawberries,” Krikorian added.

Nutritional benefits of strawberries

In addition to providing polyphenols, strawberries are a source of many bioactive compounds. Strawberries provide 100% of our daily vitamin C needs in one cup and contain heart-healthy nutrients such as folate, potassium, fiber, phytosterols and polyphenols.

The future of polyphenol research

“We are excited about these results and the future of polyphenol research,” says Chris Christian, senior vice chair of the California Strawberry Commission.

“The relationship between strawberry consumption and brain health has been well studied in clinical and population studies. For example, strawberries and pelargonidin, a biochemical found primarily in strawberries, have been associated with a reduced risk of cancer.” Alzheimer’s disease Dementia in studies conducted at Rush University. “Long-term observational studies, including the Health Professionals Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, have found that strawberry eaters have lower rates of cognitive decline,” Christian says.

To learn more about this study, see Eating strawberries every day may reduce your risk of dementia.

Funding: California Strawberry Commission