Researchers at Rovira y Virgili University (Spain) have found that frequent use of hazelnuts has a positive effect on people’s cognitive abilities. The results of the work of scientists are presented in an article. magazine American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN).
The study included more than 6,000 people from a cohort of older people at risk of cognitive decline. Participants filled out a questionnaire about the frequency of eating different foods. Nut consumption was categorized as less than one serving per week, one to two servings per week, three to six servings per week, and seven or more servings per week. Trained personnel evaluated cognitive performance at baseline and two years later.
The results of the study showed that people who ate the most nuts had a sharper mind, had a proper diet, were more active, smoked less, had no obvious symptoms of depression, and were not overweight.
Participants who consumed three to six servings of nuts per week had better cognitive performance than those who consumed less than one serving per week during the study period.
“Higher nut intake can delay cognitive decline in older adults for up to two years. However, more research is needed to support our findings before nutritional recommendations can be made,” he said.