Emma Laing, clinical professor and director of dietetics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, recently spoke with Consumer HealthDay about a potential boost in memory from compounds in chocolate and berries.
Getting more nutrients called flavanols, natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables and even chocolate, could help with memory decline.
“Consuming foods high in flavanols has been shown in research studies to benefit health and reduce the risk for chronic diseases involving the brain, heart and other organs,” said Laing.
Besides berries and dark chocolate, other flavanol-containing foods include apples — particularly the peels — grapes, citrus fruits, cocoa and green tea. Good vegetable sources of flavanols are onions, hot peppers, kale, broccoli, rutabagas and spinach, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Intentionally adding flavanol-rich foods to your eating pattern is a relatively simple lifestyle change that you could make to support your health. Many foods naturally contain these compounds, so aiming to add one or more servings of flavanol-rich foods per week would be a realistic place to start,” Laing said.