Experts from the University of Barcelona conducted a study and found out which diet protects against dementia. The findings of the scientists are reported in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
According to experts, a diet rich in plant foods reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in older people.
The study lasted 12 years. During this time, scientists monitored 842 volunteers over the age of 65. They studied not only the reports of the study participants, but also relied on the results of analyzes of food metabolites.
It was found that a high concentration of metabolites of cocoa, coffee, mushrooms, red wine, as well as foods rich in polyphenols – apples, green tea, blueberries, oranges, other fruits and vegetables – reduced the risk of cognitive impairment. Conversely, the use of sweeteners was more often associated with dementia.
According to scientists, the main way to prevent cognitive impairment is changes in diet and lifestyle, writes Gazeta.Ru. If the diet contains substances beneficial to the nervous system, this helps to protect the brain and prevent its work from deteriorating prematurely.
The scientists hope that the results of their work will help create the most effective preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat dementia and other brain diseases associated with aging, writes Reedus.
In November, scientists at Tianjin Medical University named drinks that inhibit dementia and stroke. They conducted a study with more than 365,000 people and concluded that drinking coffee or tea can help reduce the risks of stroke and dementia.
People who drank either 2-3 cups of coffee, or 3-5 cups of tea a day, or 4-6 cups of both coffee and tea had the lowest incidence of stroke or dementia.