Study Shows Strawberry Consumption May Improve Cognitive Function in Older Adults; Shirin Hooshmand Comments
BOSTON, MA - Already a consumer favorite in the produce aisle, the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) is giving retailers more reason to add the category to their shelves and consumers to put them in their baskets as it revealed daily strawberry consumption was linked to improved cognitive function, lower blood pressure, and higher antioxidant capacity. The findings come from a randomized clinical trial presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition (ASN).
“This study demonstrates that consuming strawberries may promote cognitive function and improve cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension,” said Shirin Hooshmand, professor in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at San Diego State and principal investigator on the study. “We’re encouraged that a simple dietary change, like adding strawberries to the daily diet, may improve these outcomes in older adults.”
The study was conducted at San Diego State University and builds on previous research demonstrating the cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health benefits of strawberries. According to a release, the double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted using 35 healthy men and women, aged 66–78. Each participant consumed 26 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder—equivalent to two servings of strawberries—daily, or control powder for eight weeks.
Following strawberry consumption, cognitive processing speed increased by 5.2 percent, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3.6 percent, and total antioxidant capacity significantly increased by 10.2 percent. While consuming the control powder, participants experienced increased serum triglycerides.
Strawberries are a source of many bioactive compounds. In addition to providing 100 percent of daily vitamin C needs, the fruit contains heart-healthy nutrients like folate, potassium, fiber, phytosterols, and polyphenols.
For retailers, these are sweet selling points to get shoppers to add strawberries to their baskets.
To read more about the study’s findings, click here.
AndNowUKnow will share more category insights, so stay tuned.
