Strawberries are tasty and totally powerful in benefiting your overall health from your head to your heart.
But can eating strawberries make a cloudy day seem sunny?
Women who eat about two servings of strawberries a week experienced less mental decline over time, research published in the Annals of Neurology found. In the study, researchers reviewed data from 16,010 women over age 70. Those with the highest berry intake postponed cognitive decline by about two and a half years. “We think that the effect might be related to a class of compounds called anthocyanidins, which is a type of flavonoid,” explains study author Elizabeth Devore, ScD, an associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “These compounds, found almost exclusively in berries, are known to cross the blood-brain barrier and locate in learning and memory centers in the brain.”
What makes strawberries and other berries so special is their high levels of phytochemicals — those naturally occurring nutrients that help protect cells from damage, says registered dietitian Nancy Copperman, MS, RD, CDN, director of public health initiatives for the Office of Community Health at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Great Neck, N.Y.
What fruits are you eating this summer? The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic talks to everyday people about their healthy appetites at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA.
Meet Mr. Divabetic on the red TOMATO carpet at the American Diabetes Association Expo in Pittsburgh, PA and New York, NY and the Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conference in Austin, TX in Fall 2012. For more glitter, games and glucose advice visit: http://www.divabetic.org
LISTEN NOW: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Katy Perry http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/07/10/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-katy-perry
Tags: berries, depression, fruit, healthy living, mental health, natural cures, raw diet, summer 2012, summer flavors, vegan, women health
