An exciting article was published in the journal Antioxidants finding that increased consumption of dietary polyphenols (more on what these are shortly!) was associated with lower incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)!
National studies have estimated that about 10% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older have dementia and 22% have MCI! This is staggering. Also, approximately one-third of people with MCI due to Alzheimer's disease progress to dementia within five years!
Unearthing strategies to prevent MCI and eventual dementia are critical, considering that lifetime risk from ages 55 to 105 is estimated at 43% for dementia and 62% for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as reported in The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
As I mention in my blogpost on The Smoothie Debate, polyphenols are naturally occurring antioxidant compounds found in plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, coffee and tea. Flavonoids are the largest and most common type of polyphenols, and include the flavanols and the anthocyanins. These very important molecules have been shown to prevent malignant tumors, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and other critical illnesses.
So for breakfast today, have some fruit and a cup of coffee or tea, and then a variety of vegetables for lunch and dinner— bask in the joy of knowing you are helping to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia with each bite!
