Mental health stimulation through word games and puzzles have long been associated with keeping the brain active and young, but if this isn't your thing, you will be glad to know there is an alternative.
New research from the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service found that adding strawberries, blackberries and blueberries to your diet can keep the brain young and actively stop it from ageing, the UK's Daily Telegraph reported.
In fact, the research found that fruit with deep orange, red or blue pigments can reverse the loss of brain power, following a two-month study where laboratory rats were fed a berry-rich diet.
Researcher Shibu Poulose, who recently presented his work at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, said these fruits help the brain to carry out the essential "housekeeping" functions through their high level of compounds called polyphenolics.
"Our research suggests that the polyphenolics in berries have a rescuing effect," Poulose said.
"They seem to restore the normal housekeeping function. These findings are the first to show these effects of berries."
The polyphenolics compounds then help the microglia cells in the brain, which work to clean up toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and symptoms of mental decline.
"The good news is that natural compounds called polyphenolics found in fruits, vegetables and nuts have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline," Poulose said.
"In ageing, microglia fail to do their work, and debris builds up.
"In addition, the microglia become over-activated and actually begins to damage healthy cells in the brain."
Poulose recommends that whole fruits should be part of a daily healthy diet.
Related link: Cooking with berries
