One fruit can tackle blood pressure, diabetes and memory with a serving a day

From getsurrey.co.uk

Just a handful of specific berries every day can greatly improve your mental and physical health

Recent research shows that eating a handful of blueberries a day can significantly improve your health. Blueberries, along with other red fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, are well-known for their health benefits due to their high content of antioxidants, vitamins, and fibre.

These characteristics make them ideal foods for preventing diseases and promoting overall good health. A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that blueberries can improve blood pressure, endothelial function (a layer of cells lining all blood vessels that regulates exchanges between the bloodstream and surrounding tissues), and arterial stiffness.

A 2021 study published in Nutrients found that blueberries can improve glucose management and insulin levels. Another study published in Antioxidants found that blueberries can improve skin elasticity and reduce skin roughness.

The Nutrients study found that participants who ate just half a cup of blueberries a day for 12 weeks experienced improvements in learning, memory, and executive function: decision-making, planning, concentration, task management, etc. According to the study, titled Blueberry Supplementation in Midlife for Dementia Risk Reduction, researchers observed better performance in the study group consuming blueberries, and a reduction in memory encoding difficulty in daily life activities.

                               A handful of blueberries could go a long way in improving your health (Image: GETTY)

This evidence suggests that continuously eating blueberries may protect against cognitive decline when implemented early. However, blueberries are not magical, and genetics play an important role in the prevalence of dementia.

Beyond that, a large amount of research shows that diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle have a significant impact on improving or at least maintaining the effects of cognitive aging and memory. Some aspects you can improve to help your health include:

• A healthy diet can reduce age-related cognitive decline
• Exercise can delay or even reverse physical deterioration of your brain
• Getting enough sleep as a lack of quality rest is associated with accelerated brain atrophy and impaired brain functional connectivity
• Ditching alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs which directly affect the brain, causing it to age faster

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/health/one-fruit-can-tackle-blood-30278883