Flavonoids in fruits, veggies linked to improved mental health

WASHINGTON (June 2007) - What is it about fruits and veggies that makes them so healthy? Lots of things, but a new research study from France is helping to find more answers.  This recent study determined that natural compounds called flavonoids may help reduce age-related decline in mental function.  Flavonoids are found in foods such as fruits and vegetables as well as tea, coffee and other plant-based foods.  Research on the health benefits of flavonoids has been ongoing over the years by laboratory, clinical and epidemiological researchers, so this latest study just adds to previous positive findings about flavonoids. 

Researchers at France's Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and the Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, studied 1,640 dementia-free subjects over 65 years old (average age: 77) and monitored their dietary intakes of flavonoids over 10 years.  Using well-established cognitive function tests with the study subjects, the researchers found that those who consumed the most flavonoids over that 10-year period showed the least mental decline on these tests.  

"This study raises the possibility that dietary flavonoid intake is associated with better cognitive evolution," wrote lead author Luc Letenneur in a June issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.  He also has been noted as saying that the high flavonoid intake is an indicator for a healthier diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and that “it seems more efficient to eat a great variety of food, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables (bringing many important nutrients such as vitamins, fibers, and a bunch of antioxidants) rather than absorbing vitamin supplements to keep healthy."

Although much more research is needed in the area of diet and cognitive functioning, a study published last summer found that consumption of 100 percent juices several times weekly was associated with a reduced risk developing Alzheimer’s disease when compared to less frequent consumption.   

Back to Press Releases