A daily portion of strawberries may help to prevent depression and dementia, a study suggests.
The consumption of about eight strawberries per day for 12 weeks improved mood, reduced issues relating to memory and decreased depressive symptoms in middle-aged, overweight adults, the study found.
Researchers hope that their findings could assist in the prevention of dementia, which currently has no known cure and impacts one in 11 people above the age of 65 in the UK.
Prof Robert Krikorian, of the University of Cincinnati’s Academic Health Centre, said: “Dementia is a general term that includes many different diseases, all without remedies.
“It is not clear when or if effective therapy will be available; prevention and mitigation through dietary and lifestyle choices is currently the best approach we have.”
The study, published in the journal Nutrients, was a double-blind, randomised controlled trial including five men and 25 women.
Lower levels of depressive symptoms
One group received a strawberry powder prepared from whole fruit that had been desiccated, freeze-dried and milled.
The second group received the control powder that was designed to have the same appearance, taste and carbohydrate load as the strawberry powder.
The daily servings were sealed in packets, each containing 13 grams of strawberry powder, equivalent to about one cup of whole fresh strawberries.
After 12 weeks of following the diet, participants who were given the whole fruit strawberry powder made fewer mistakes, or “intrusion errors”, when recounting material from a word list learning task sometimes used to identify cognitive decline.
Additionally, participants who were given the strawberry powder reported lower levels of depressive symptoms.
Prof Krikorian added: “Our findings can likely be attributed to the anti-inflammatory actions of the anthocyanins found in strawberries.
“We wanted to work with a middle-aged, overweight population as dementia is a condition that is believed to develop over a period of decades.
“Furthermore, inflammation is likely a contributing factor related to metabolic disorders such as obesity, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.”
‘We are excited with these findings’
Strawberries are important for maintaining a healthy diet, providing 100 per cent of the recommended daily vitamin C amount in a single cup serving.
They also contain heart-healthy nutrients such as folate, potassium, fibre, phytosterols and polyphenols.
Chris Christian, the senior vice president at the California Strawberry Commission, said: “We are excited with these findings and the future of polyphenol research.
“The link between strawberry consumption and brain health has been well explored in both clinical and population-based studies.
“For example, strawberries and pelargonidin, a biochemical primarily found in strawberries, were associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s dementia in studies conducted at Rush University.
“And long-term observational studies, including the Health Professionals Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, found that strawberry consumers had lower rates of cognitive decline.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
