The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components of nuts and olive oil make them excellent allies against cognitive decline (which can lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s), according to a recent Spanish study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. .
The study, derived from the PREDIMED trial (Prevention with Mediterranean Diet), had the participation of 447 healthy volunteers at a cognitive level -both men and women- but with high cardiovascular risk and with an average age of 67 years. The research lasted for four years and the participants followed three types of diet: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with extra nuts or a low-fat control diet. At the same time, during the four years of follow-up, evaluations of the cognitive function of the volunteers were carried out, both at the beginning and at the end of the study .
The results revealed that people who followed the diet with extra virgin olive oil or nuts had better cognitive function than people who had to follow the control or low-fat diet (regardless of gender or age). Specifically, the dried fruit diet was the most suitable for improving memory and the olive oil diet improved the executive function of the participants.
These conclusions support previous studies that suggested that eating habits and cognitive function were closely related to the appearance of neurodegenerative diseases; thus, foods rich in antioxidants would provide protection against them by preventing oxidative stress .
“These beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet are probably due to the large amount of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents it provides,” explains Emili Ros, coordinator of the study.
