The fruit scientists say ‘slows dementia’ – and 14 other brain-saving snacks to protect against the disease

CHERRIES could help protect against dementia, scientists say.

Researchers at the University of Kent believe turning the fruit into a powder, rather than consuming it as a juice, could improve symptoms in people with a mild to moderate form of the disease.

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Scientists say cherries could help slow down or even protect against Alzheimer’sCredit: Getty

It’s all thanks to the powder’s ability to retain antioxidants called anthocyanins and quercetin, both known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Lead researcher Dr Marina Ezcurra said: “The powder was found to protect against harmful effects linked to age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease in laboratory models, underlining its potential as a functional food ingredient.”

The team took damaged or discoloured cherries grown in Kent that were initially destined for landfill.

They turned them into a natural powder, and compared that to cherry juice, pulp and pomace.

“Notably, greater biological activity was observed in developing the pulp powder than juice alone, suggesting that consuming the anthocyanin-rich cherry powder may bring more health benefits than extracts or supplements,” Dr Ezcurra said.

It was found to protect against amyloid-β toxicity – a key process in Alzheimer’s disease that disrupts normal brain function.

This can trigger memory loss, personality changes and progressive degeneration of cells.

Dr Ezcurra said: “We have developed an innovative way to turn waste cherries into a valuable, health-boosting food ingredient.

“Working with local growers has been key to this success.

“Together we are showing that agricultural by-products don’t need to go to waste – they can become part of the solution to producing sustainable and accessible healthy foods.

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“Our newly discovered innovation is a scientific approach that could be adopted at scale in Kent and other agricultural regions, and we look forward to carrying out further research to help drive this forward.”

Dr Sarah Blackburn, senior technician and first author of the study, added: “What makes this work exciting is that we combined detailed analytical approaches with health measurements in inexpensive laboratory models that provide insights into human health.

“This allows us to demonstrate the potential of food waste to provide
benefits for both people and the environment.”

The study, published in the journal Antioxidants, was carried out in collaboration with RentACherryTree in East Sussex.

It was funded through grants from InnovateUK and Growing Kent & Medway.

What else can I eat to boost my brain?

Anthocyanin-rich foods tend to be red, blue and purple-coloured plant products.

As well as cherries, this includes fruits like blueberries, blackberries, mulberries, blackcurrants, grapes, black plums and pomegranates.

Vegetables like red cabbage, aubergine, purple sweet potatoes and black carrots are also good sources, as are black beans, purple corn and black rice.

To maximise your intake of anthocyanins from these foods, they should be eaten raw and at their ripest, according to Healthline.

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Other fruits like blueberries are also high in anthocyaninsCredit: Getty

Anthocyanin has previously been shown to reduce inflammation and potentially protect against type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Scientists at Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, found that people with high cholesterol who supplemented their diet with 320mg of anthocyanins twice per day had significantly reduced markers of inflammation.

A separate study, published in the Journal of Functional Foods, discovered that taking 320mg of anthocyanins daily lowered blood markers of inflammation in obese, overweight and healthy people.

Since chronic inflammation may contribute to several conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, regularly eating anthocyanin-rich foods may help lower your risk of these, experts say.

Another study by Zhejiang University suggested people who consume these foods often had a 15 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who don’t.

Even adding as little as 7.5mg (equivalent to about 30 to 60g of berries) each day could reduce your chances by five per cent.

It could also keep your heart healthy. In a 12-week study by the University of Wollongong, people who drank 200ml of cherry juice every day significantly lowered their blood pressure.

And a review published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition suggested increasing your anthocyanins intake could lower your risk of heart disease by up to nine per cent, and your chances of dying from it by eight per cent.

Evidence is lacking on the anti-cancer effects of anthocyanins, but these are classified as flavonoids – a group of antioxidants believed to have powerful cancer-fighting abilities.

Is it ageing or dementia?

Dementia – the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s – comes on slowly over time.

As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe. 

But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing.

The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease.

You can refer to these above.

For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulties having conversation would be more indicative of dementia.

Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team, previously told The Sun: “We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them.

“As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door.

“That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age.

“In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house.

“What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn’t belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.”

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