How two glasses of orange juice a day ‘can boost memory by 10% in elderly’

DRINKING or a nge j ui c e every day could improve the brain power of elderly people, research shows.

And it takes less than two months to boost memory, speech and reaction times by close to 10 per cent, according to a study.

Scientists put the results down to chemicals called flavonoids – natural substances which occur in high levels in oranges.

Flavonoids are said to i mprove memory through the activation of signalling pathways in the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with learning and storing information.

A research team from Reading University asked 37 healthy volunteers to drink 500ml – around two glasses, or nearly a pint – of orange juice every day for eight weeks.

The participants – 24 women and 13 men aged 60 to 81 – saw significant improvements in brain function. Their memory, reaction time and verbal fluency were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment, and each participant was given an overall score. Their marks improved by 8 per cent – a remarkable advance in less than two months.

The researchers said they do not necessarily recommend drinking an entire pint of orange juice every day but even incorporating a certain amount into our diets is a cheap and easy way to improve brain health.

Study author Dr Daniel Lamport, from Reading’s school of psychology, said: ‘The population is ageing rapidly across the world. Estimates suggest that the number of people aged 60 or over could triple by 2100.

‘It’s therefore imperative that we explore simple, costeffective ways to improve cognitive function in old age.’

Although many fruit and vegetables – as well as tea, cocoa and red wine – are known to contain flavonoids, oranges boast a particularly beneficial type called flavanones which the authors said ‘are one of the most easily absorbed flavonoids’.

Previous studies have highlighted the potential impact of flavonoids, but this is the first to examine the role of those found in oranges.

‘This is a notable absence because one of the most commonly consumed juices throughout the world – orange juice – is a rich source of flavanones,’ wrote Dr Lamport in the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

‘Moreover, flavanones are one of the most easily absorbed flavonoids.’

He added: ‘Small, easily administered changes to the daily diet, such as eating more flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables, have the potential to substantially benefit brain health.

‘We know that people find it difficult to sustain big changes to their diet but simple alterations are much easier. More research is still needed. However, this is an important discovery which strengthens the growing body of evidence that flavonoid-rich foodstuffs could play a big role in tackling cognition decline in old age.’

Last ni ght dietitians warned that drinking large quantities of orange juice could lead to weight gain as it contains high levels of sugar. They recommended drinking it with a meal so that the acid from the juice has l ess opportunity to attack tooth enamel.

Sian Porter, spokesman for the British Dietetic Association, said: ‘Fruit juice does contain sugar and it is not calorie-free. If you are going to drink fruit juice do so at meal times because it is better for your health.’

‘Substantial brain benefits’