Abundant in apples, pears, olive oil, beans, spinach, etc.
Research has shown that foods like strawberries, which contain flavonols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, are good for brain health.
As a result of a study of more than 900 adults by the University of Rush Medical Center in the United States, foods containing flavonols were found to be beneficial for strengthening the brain, cardiovascular system, and liver and kidney health. Flavonols are antioxidants that reduce inflammation, prevent cell damage in the brain, and scavenge harmful free radicals in the body. It belongs to a relatively well-known family of flavonoids.
Flavonol-rich foods include fruits such as strawberries, apples, pears and oranges, green leafy vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli and spinach, grains such as beans, olive oil, tea and wine. These different foods work in synergy.
The research team collected data from 961 adults without dementia (average age 81). Over an average of seven years, the participants completed a questionnaire about their diet each year and took tests of cognition and memory. The researchers compared a group that consumed about 15 mg of flavonols per day (equivalent to about 1 cup of green leafy vegetables) with a group that consumed only about 5 mg of flavonols per day. The results showed that people who ate enough flavonol-containing leafy greens experienced a 32 percent slower decline in cognitive function than those who didn’t.
Dr Thomas Holland (internal medicine) of Rush Medical Center, the study’s lead author, said: ‘Flavonols alone cannot prevent mental aging, and sufficient intake of various fruits and vegetables, physical activity active and cognitive training, you have to work hard to relieve stress,” she stressed. “The best way to stock up on flavonols is to eat flavonol-rich foods,” she added.
The research team found an association between flavonols and delayed cognitive decline, but said they couldn’t prove a direct causal relationship. He also said that the incompleteness of people’s memories of what they ate was a limitation of the study.
The results of this study (Association of Dietary Intake of Flavonols With Changes in Global Cognition and Diverse Cognitive Abilities) were published in the online edition of the journal Neurology and presented by the American health media ‘Health Day’.
