Skip to content

One fear people have is of developing problems with their memory in their later years, called age-related memory loss. A recent study finding a possible way to maintain memory in older adults is intriguing and offers hope. And best of all, it's fairly easy to do - just increase the intake of flavanol rich foods.

A large Columbia University study of adults over age 60 found that daily flavanol supplementation (cocoa extract with 500 mg flavanols) over a 3 year period improved the memory of persons whose diet was low in flavanol intake from foods, but not in persons with high intake of flavanols. The researchers suggest that a low flavanol diet is one of the drivers of age-related memory loss.

The researchers stated that flavanols only improved memory processes governed by the hippocampus, and did not improve memory mediated by other areas of the brain.

Flavanols are natural substances found in certain fruits and vegetables, especially berries, onions, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, grapes, and cocoa. Flavanols are a type or class of flavonoids, all of which have health benefits. Eat a variety of plant foods (includes tea and wine) to ensure you're eating a variety of flavonoids.

Some other benefits of flavonoids: they are anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, have anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties, lower heart disease death rates, and prevention of heart disease.

From Medical Xpress: Low-flavanol diet drives age-related memory loss, large study finds

A large-scale study led by researchers at Columbia and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard is the first to establish that a diet low in flavanols—nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables—drives age-related memory loss. ...continue reading "Eating A Diet Rich in Flavanols May Help With Memory"