Boost Brain Function and Blood Flow With This ‘Fruit’ Extract

Research confirms the power of a simple dietary change in improving memory problems in middle-aged and older adults.

In a study titled, “Pomegranate juice augments memory and FMRI activity in middle-aged and older adults with mild memory complaints,” thirty-two subjects with self-reported memory complaints were randomly assigned to drink 8 ounces of either pomegranate juice or a flavor-matched placebo drink for 4 weeks, receiving memory testing, functional MRI scans (fMRI), and blood draws for peripheral biomarkers before and after the intervention.

After 4 weeks, only the pomegranate group showed significant improvement in verbal memory scores and plasma antioxidant levels.  Furthermore, compared to placebo, the pomegranate group showed increased fMRI activity during verbal and memory tasks, indicating pomegranate juice consumption results in increased blood flow to critical task-related brain regions.