Orange
IN PHOTO: A selection of handmade pots on the construction site of a medieval fort called Guedelon, that is being built in the Burgundy region of France near Auxerre, June 25, 2005. Guedelon, which will be finished in 2023, is a typical French medieval chateau-fort being built using the techniques, materials and rules of the 13th Century. It is the brainchild of Michel Guyot and Maryline Martin and has been in construction since June 1997. Reuters/Jacky Naegelen

A new study from the University of Reading in U.K. shows that daily consumption of orange juice can contribute to brain boost among the elderly population. According to the researchers, the ageing population is increasing all over the world and there is a need to explore simple methods of improving brain function in elderly.

The study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition involved the study of 37 healthy adults with an average age of 67 years old. Researchers tested the participants’ reaction time, memory and verbal articulacy for scoring.

The participants came in two groups. One group consumed 500 ml of orange juice every day for a period of eight weeks. The second group was given a drink that acts as a control and this drink matched orange juice’s taste and calories. After the trial, researchers conducted another cognitive function test.

The results showed that the group who drank orange juice daily had an 8 percent overall improvement in their brain function compared to the other group. The improvement may be small but researchers considered it to be significant, reports the Express Tribune.

Orange juice is rich in phytochemicals, specifically flavonoids. Many studies have been performed to show that these substances can improve memory through hippocampus stimulation. This recent study is considered as one of the first studies to show that regular consumption of orange juice flavonones can have beneficial effect in cognitive abilities among elders.

“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,” suggests Daniel Lamport, one of the authors of the study.

While orange juice has been shown to contain chemicals that are healthy for the brain, researchers do not recommend that people should start drinking the beverage every day. However, they do believe that the results from the study show that the nutrients derived from orange juice can become a supplemental component of a healthy diet.

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