Research shows; Two glasses of orange juice daily 'boosts elderly brainpower': Significant improvements can be seen in less than two months. I would call that real good news.
Scientists put the results down to chemicals called flavonoids – natural substances which occur in high levels in oranges.
Flavonoids are said to improve memory through the activation of signalling pathways in the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with learning and storing information.
A research team from Reading University asked 37 healthy volunteers to drink 500ml – around two glasses, or nearly a pint – of orange juice every day for eight weeks.
The participants, 24 women and 13 men aged 60 to 81, saw significant improvements in brain function. Their memory, reaction time and verbal fluency were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment, and each participant was given an overall score. Their marks improved by 8 per cent, a remarkable advance in less than two months.
The researchers said they do not necessarily recommend drinking an entire pint of orange juice every day but even incorporating a certain amount into our diets is a cheap and easy way to improve brain health.
Study author Dr Daniel Lamport, from Reading's school of psychology, said: 'The population is ageing rapidly across the world. Estimates suggest that the number of people aged 60 or over could triple by 2100.
'It's therefore imperative that we explore simple, cost-effective ways to improve cognitive function in old age.'
Previous studies have highlighted the potential impact of flavonoids, but this is the first to examine the role of those found in oranges.
This strengthens the growing body of evidence that flavonoid-rich foodstuffs could play a big role in tackling cognition decline in old age.'
Dietitians have warned that drinking large quantities of orange juice could lead to weight gain as it contains high levels of sugar.
A recent study has shown that increased intake of vitamin C from orange juice has lead to a decrease in high blood pressure.
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