There is good news for strawberry lovers. A team of researchers from University of Cincinnati has claimed that eating eight strawberries a day can help prevent depression and dementia. The researchers further said that having the daily portion of these berries every day for 12 weeks improved mood, reduced issues relating to memory and decreased depressive symptoms in middle-aged, overweight adults. Their findings were published last month in the journal Nutrients. The research is based on the analysis of medical data of 30 overweight patients.
According to New York Post, the research team divided these patients, who complained of mild cognitive impairment, in two groups. One group, which had patients between the ages of 50 and 65, was given a powder with the equivalent of one cup of whole strawberries (the standard serving size), while the other half got a placebo.
The experts observed both the groups for 12 weeks, tracking their long-term memory, mood and metabolic health.
They found that those in the strawberry powder group performed better on a word-list learning test and had a significant reduction in depressive symptoms.
Sydney Morning Herald said that the controlled group had five men and 25 women.
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.
"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," Professor Robert Krikorian, of the University of Cincinnati's Academic Health Centre, told Sydney Morning Herald.
According to Healthline, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese and also contain decent amounts of folate (vitamin B9) and potassium.
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