Men who eat a healthy diet and consume more vegetables, fruits and juices during adulthood may have better brain health and preserve their cognitive function in old age.
Foods that promote brain health
When you were little and your parents insisted that you eat the vegetables on your plate and drink that glass of orange juice, it was because they knew that these foods would be good for you. And now, according to new research, these foods may help keep your brain healthy.
This study, published by the American Academy of Neurology, revealed that orange and red vegetables, berries, orange juice and green leafy vegetables prevent the risk of memory loss in men.
What is this study about?
One of the most important factors of this study is that a very large group of people was surveyed and followed up over a period of 20 years, with very good results. These studies provide additional evidence that dietary choices may be relevant to maintaining brain health.
The research focused on 27,842 male health professionals with an average age of 51 years. For more than two decades, men reported every four years how many servings of fruits, vegetables and other foods they ate each day.
At least four years before the end of the study, the participants were also tested for their thinking and memory skills using an assessment designed to detect subtle changes that would likely go unnoticed on objective cognitive tests.
Any reported change in memory would be considered a precursor to mild cognitive impairment.
Overall, 55% of the men had good thinking and memory skills, 38% had average skills, and 7% had poor skills. The participants were divided into five groups based on fruit and vegetable consumption.
The highest rate of vegetable consumption was about six servings per day, compared to two servings for the lowest. The best-performing group ate about three servings of fruit a day, compared to the worst rate, which was half a daily dose.
Conclusions: Does eating vegetables improve health and prevent memory loss?
The study revealed that men who ate the most vegetables were 34% less likely to develop poor thinking skills compared to the group who ate the least. Additionally, men who drank orange juice every day were 47% less likely to have memory loss and poor cognitive function.
The experts also found that men who ate more fruits and vegetables during those 20 years were less likely to develop cognitive problems, regardless of whether they continued to do so until the study measurements began 16 years later.