Flavonols Are Associated With Slower Cognitive Decline

Flavonols are a form of antioxidants and they are found to be helpful in reducing cognitive decline according to a new study. The study published in the Neurology journal found that these antioxidants usually found in fruits and vegetables are beneficial in keeping the brain healthy.

They are a type of phytochemicals mostly seen in plant pigments. The study categorized the flavonols into four parts; quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and myricetin. The kaempferol-based flavonols recorded the lowest amount of cognitive decline in people who consumed this type of flavonol. These are mainly found in spinach, tea, broccoli, etc.

Research Suggests A Connection Between Flavonols And A Slowed-Down Cognitive Decline

In order to assess the decline in cognitive ability, the researchers used a global scale that consists of around nineteen tests that are related to testing cognitive abilities. The man who led the study, Dr.Thomas M. Holland said that it’s easy to maintain brain health, you just have to eat more fruits and vegetables and also consume tea.

The whole problem of cognitive decline due to age-related and other factors like stress could be prevented by managing your diet and having proper physical and mental activity. 

The new findings are crucial in the sense that cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s and Dementia were the main cause of concern among aging Americans and till now researchers were not able to come up with a sort of medication that could prevent the conditions.

These neurological disorders progress slowly and tend to make routine life difficult. So one of the ways to prevent the deterioration of brain health and also to keep our arteries and nerves functioning smoothly is to have a balanced healthy diet and regular moderate exercise. 

Stress is also another important factor that accelerates cognitive decline as well as other conditions like heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, etc. Stress management is another important aspect of healthy living. Timely clinical interventions, psychological therapy, meditation, exercise, etc. are some efficient ways to manage stress.

Cognitive decline usually occurs due to age-related factors but in a few minorities, this has been observed to set in sooner. These people either have a genetic predisposition or are in a highly stressful environment that is causing oxidative stress.

This is where antioxidant therapy is found to be really useful. Antioxidants are known to enrich the cells and rejuvenate them so that they don’t fall prey to oxidative stress. They have a neuroprotective role that mainly inhibits the harmful effects of stress and neurological decline on a cellular level. 

Flavonols in tea, fruits, and green veggies belong to this category of antioxidants and they help form a protective layer throughout the body and in the brain cells. According to the dietary guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average American adult is advised to consume 1.5-2 cups of fruits and 2-3 cups of vegetables every day.

The general consumption of fruits and vegetables were less than required for US adult in 2019, this again would vary on multiple factors like economic status, availability, cultural sensibilities, etc.

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The COVID-19 pandemic had further worsened this situation because of the problem in the supply chain. Nutritional deficiencies that were caused during the pandemic period have also affected the global population together with the issue of mental stress and depression.  

The inclusion of fruits and vegetables in the diet is of much importance and the research done today is making this point clear as they are providing a larger list of benefits than what was thought of before.

Consumption of tea, especially green tea, is also found to be beneficial for memory improvement and other cognitive abilities. So next time when you go grocery shopping, be sure to include a considerable amount of fruits and vegetables in the list, as it may help you lead a healthier life.              

References:

🔵National Library Of Medicine (n.d) Dietary flavonols and risk of Alzheimer dementia (Available On):https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7282875/

🔵Science Direct (n.d) Phytochemicals and cognitive health: Are flavonoids doing the trick? (Available On):https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332218346845