Can Grapes Help Protect Against Alzheimer’s decline?

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that results in a slow decline of the memory. Scientists believe that eating grapes daily can help protect the brain against early decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a research involving people with early memory decline.

A study carried out in California examines the effect and impact of grapes and the results suggest that regular intake of grapes may provide protection against early decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The study results showed that a grape-enriched diet helps in the protection against the decline of metabolic activity. Additionally, those consuming a grape-enriched diet also exhibited increased metabolism in other areas of the brain compared to those consuming the non-grape diet.

In the study, people with early memory decline were selected to receive either a whole grape powder, which was equivalent to just a little over two cups of grapes daily, or a polyphenol-free placebo powder. Six months later, changes in the brain metabolism were assessed by brain scans and cognitive performance were measured. The results showed that people consuming grapes preserved healthy metabolic activity in the regions of the brain that are affected by the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Participants who did not consume grapes had a significant metabolic decline in these critical regions.

Previous researches had also shown that eating grapes may also help enhance brain health by prompting healthy blood flow and reducing oxidative stress in the brain.