Chocolate, wine and tea improve brain performance

December 22nd, 2008 in Medicine & Health / Health


(PhysOrg.com) -- All that chocolate might actually help finish the bumper Christmas
crossword over the seasonal period. According to Oxford researchers working with
colleagues in Norway, chocolate, wine and tea enhance cognitive performance.

The team from Oxford’s Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and
Norway examined the relation between cognitive performance and the intake of
three common foodstuffs that contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea) in 2,031
older people (aged between 70 and 74).

Participants filled in information about their habitual food intake and underwent a
battery of cognitive tests.Those who consumed chocolate, wine, or tea had
significantly better mean test scores and lower prevalence of poor cognitive
performance than those who did not. The team reported their findings in the Journal
of Nutrition.

The role of micronutrients in age-related cognitive decline is being increasingly
studied. Fruits and beverages such as tea, red wine, cocoa, and coffee are major
dietary sources of polyphenols, micronutrients found in plant-derived foods. The
largest subclass of dietary polyphenols is flavonoids, and it has been reported in the
past that those who consume lots of flavonoids have a lower incidence of dementia.

The latest findings seem to support the theory, although the researchers caution that
more research would be needed to prove that it was flavonoids, rather than some
other aspect of the foods studied, that made the difference.The effect was most
pronounced for wine.

However, say the researchers, those overdoing it at Christmas should note that while
moderate alcohol consumption is associated with better cognitive function and
reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, heavy alcohol intake could be one
of many causes of dementia – as well as a host of other health problems.

Provided by Oxford University
http://www.physorg.com/news149185135.html


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