Cranberries and memory: How consumption of this fruit may improve your memory.
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How You Might Use Cranberries to Boost Your Memory
“Maybe I’ll take you to a lighthouse and kiss you like in that book about the cranberries everyone has to read in high school.”
― Ben Monopoli, Homo Action Love Story! A tall tale
A NEW STUDY EXAMINED THE HEALTH IMPACT of consuming a cup of cranberries daily. Eating cranberries appeared to improve memory and brain function. In addition, berry consumers had lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.
Have you ever eaten cranberries? Do you like their taste? I rarely consume cranberries, puckering up for the American holiday of Thanksgiving notwithstanding.
Today we look at the history of cranberries. We’ll then turn to the recently reported study hinting at cognitive benefits conferred by cranberry consumption.
Cranberries: A brief history
In 1550, Native Americans harvested wild cranberries and used them in numerous remedies, drinks, and foods.
National Geographic’s Sarah Whitman-Salkin explains that an energy bar-like food known as pemmican incorporated berries. The bar provided nutrition for fur trades during the harsher winter months.
Many of us consume cranberry sauce as a part of the American holiday of Thanksgiving, but cranberries did not arrive in a can form until 1912. Attorney Marcus L. Urann bought a cranberry bog and created a cranberry cooperative subsequently called Ocean Spray. By 1940, the canned, jiggly version we know today had arrived.
Cranberries and memory: Study methods
Researchers studied 142 individuals between the ages of 50 and 80 years. None of the subjects had memory problems or underlying health conditions. The investigators excluded those already consuming a high amount of flavonoid-rich food.
For the study, researchers screened 142 men and women between 50 and 80. The subjects provided urine and blood samples, completed a physical examination, and did cognitive testing. Sixty participants ultimately participated in the study following the screening. These individuals had a brain MRI scan.
Each study subject consumed either cranberry powder or a placebo twice daily. The cranberry powder had the equivalent of one cup of fresh cranberries.
The study lasted 12 weeks, with the participants providing blood and urine samples at study completion. They also repeated a battery of cognitive tests and repeated the brain imaging with an MRI.
The study assessed 14 memory, cognitive function, and spatial orientation measures.
Cranberries and memory: Study results
The researchers did not find any differences between the cranberry and placebo groups on 13 of 14 memory, cognitive function, and spatial orientation measures.
The cranberry extract group members had significant improvements in visual episodic memory performance. Episodic memory is the memory of events.
Moreover, the cranberry group members had higher blood flow in three brain areas. In addition, “bad” LDL cholesterol appeared lower among the cranberry supplement group.
Cranberries and health: My take
The study results are impressive. Deeper-hued plants tend to be chock full of phytonutrients. Do you enjoy blood-red cranberries?
Flavanoids
Cranberries are rich in two forms of health-promoting flavonoids, anthocyanin, and proanthocyanidins. Flavonoids are plant compounds found in fruit and vegetables, red wine, coffee, and tea.
Higher flavonoid intake is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and lower dementia risk. University of East Anglia (United Kingdom) researchers offer a new study demonstrating this:
There is an association between consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day and improved memory.
The study has flaws
The study is small and may not be generalizable to a broader population. A second potential problem is the funding: The Cranberry Institute, nonprofit supporting cranberry growers and the industry, sponsored the study.
Thank you for joining me.
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
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