How just a glass of your favourite drink could help stave off dementia
WINE could help to stave off dementia, according to a study.
Antioxidants from the grapes may slow down memory loss and keep the mind sharp for longer.
Scientists at Rush University in Chicago said flavonols are well known for their health benefits.
They are also found in tea, green vegetables, fruit, tomatoes and olive oil.
Study leader Dr Thomas Holland said: “It’s exciting that our study shows making specific diet choices may lead to a slower rate of cognitive decline.
“Something as simple as eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more tea is an easy way for people to take an active role in maintaining their brain health.”
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Nearly a million people in the UK have dementia and it is Brits’ number one cause of death.
And up to one in five over-65s have mild cognitive impairment, which causes brain power to drop off.
Dr Holland’s study involved 961 people with an average age of 81.
They were quizzed about their food and drink and tested on how well they could remember words and numbers.
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Writing in the journal Neurology, scientists split the group based on their intake of flavonols, which ranged between 5mg and 15mg per day.
People with the highest intake saw their brain test scores fall 0.4 points less per decade, compared to those with the lowest.
Those who consumed the most myricetin – an antioxidant common in wine – had scores that fell by 0.3 points less than those who consumed the least.
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Studies have found flavonols boost health in numerous ways, including lowering blood pressure, slashing diabetes risk and reducing the chance of cancer or heart disease.
Earlier this year, experts at the University of New South Wales found people who drink one or two pints of beer each day have a 38 per cent lower dementia risk than teetotallers.