Grape Juice May Boost Your Memory
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Research has linked purple grape juice to heart health, lower cholesterol, and breast cancer prevention. But can the sweet purple liquid bolster memory, too? A study out of the University of Cincinnati suggests that it can.
Robert Krikorian, M.D. of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine was exploring pre-dementia conditions when he set up the grape juice study. Grapes, and especially their skins, contain antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory polyphenol compounds, which are thought to help slow or prevent degenerative diseases. Working with this knowledge, Dr. Krikorian theorized that grape juice may help slow the progression of memory loss due to Alzheimer’s or age-related dementia.
Dr. Krikorian oversaw a trial in which 12 adults between the ages of 75 and 85 with early memory loss drank 100 percent concord grape juice every day for 12 weeks. A placebo group drank a beverage that looked and tasted like grape juice. The participants had similar levels of education and they began with nearly identical levels of memory loss. At the end of the research period, those who drank the real grape juice showed improved verbal and spatial memory function, as well as a heightened ability to learn and recall lists.
"We know that grape juice gets into the brain," Krikorian told the university health news. "Inflammation's a very important factor in neural degeneration, particularly Alzheimer's disease."
Lifestyle modification, as opposed to medical intervention, is becoming an increasingly well-populated field of study. Many doctors and scientists are shifting their research focus away from invasive procedures and pharmaceutical salves to a more holistic, preventative approach to illness. Recently, coffee has been found to cut the risk of prostate cancer. Yellow and green vegetables have been shown to help keep eyesight in good shape; pomegranate juice is believed to keep blood platelets from clumping together and thereby prevent blood clots; mushrooms, soy milk and dark chocolate are thought to aid in satiety and therefore weight loss. Many of these foods are referred to as functional foods, due to their health benefits -- and grapes are among them.
While Dr. Krikorian's study was small, he hopes to find a bigger sample soon. A 2006 Vanderbilt University paper suggests that he's be onto something: A study of nearly 2,000 people found that those who drank three servings of fruit or vegetable juice a week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those who drank one serving a week.
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