New Study Shows Tea And Wine Could Help Combat Memory Loss

Most of us likely choose what we eat for pleasure, but it's important to eat for our health as well. Whether that's opting for the healthier bread option or incorporating bone broth into our diet, it seems as if there are countless ways to take in more nutrition.

A new study has added its own findings to the wealth of information on nutrition as well. This study comes from researchers from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago who recently had their results published in the medical journal Neurology.

Researchers set out to discover if flavonoids, a compound that acts as an antioxidant when consumed by humans per Healthline, would have a valuable effect on various types of memory loss when incorporated regularly into a diet. They assessed this by using a group of nearly 1,000 adults between the ages of 60 and 100, and tracked their flavonoid intake. They also issued regular cognitive assessments to measure memory retention. The results of the study showed that flavonoid consumption from substances like tea and wine may have the ability to combat long-term memory loss.

According to the study's data, the group of participants who consumed the highest amount of flavonoids showed the slowest decline in cognition over the period of the study. Science Daily reports that researchers believe this is related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of flavonoids. Healthline says that these properties help the body fight off free radicals, and continue operating properly without excess inflammation due to other factors. These compounds naturally occur in fruits and vegetables, but also remain present in the leaves of tea, and also in wine.

Science Daily points out that the results also grouped the different types of flavonoids most frequently consumed together, and measured their individual results as well. The category of flavonoid that showed the greatest positive impact on slowing cognitive decline was kaempferol. The study cites that the top foods consumed containing this category were tea, broccoli, beans, kale, and spinach.

The researchers add that this is not definitive proof of flavonoids' impact on cognitive decline, but it does show a strong correlation."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." said study author Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.