Can Fruits and Veggies Keep Your Memory Strong?

January 1, 2006

Written by:

Barrow -

Filling your plate with fruits and vegetables may not only be a good

way to keep your body healthy, it can keep your brain going strong,

too.

In yet another study uncovering the benefits of fruits and

vegetables, researchers from Utah State University have found that

elderly men and women who consume high amounts of these foods have

better memories than those who skimp on the broccoli, spinach,

apples and pears.

Dr. Heidi Wengreen, a lead investigator of the study, said that this

research is the first of its kind to look at diet as a means to

prevent dementia. The findings were presented at the Alzheimer's

Association International Conference on Prevention of Dementia.

For the study, researchers tested the memory of over 5,000 seniors

up to four times over an eight-year period. At the beginning, the

participants also answered questions about their eating habits. The

group of seniors with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables,

five or more servings a day, scored higher on the test than the rest

of the participants. Moreover, those who nibbled on plenty of

veggies and fruit were able to maintain their memory over time.

" It appears that higher intake of fruits and vegetables may protect

against memory loss in older adults, " said Wengreen.

Previously, the same research group also found that taking daily

vitamin E and C supplements also cuts the risk of Alzheimer's.

However, since the data was based on the dietary information given

at the beginning of the study, Wengreen said that she is unable to

say if the seniors who consumed a lot of fruits and vegetables

continued to do so as the years passed.

Additionally, Wengreen also noted that the current guidelines

recommend that adults eat five-and-a-half cups of fruits and

vegetables every day, which is far from the amount that most

American adults eat.

" Many Americans fall short of the current recommendations…even

though we know they are good for us, " said Wengreen, " Eating more

fruits and vegetables in your later years offers benefits to both

body and mind. "

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