Researchers discovered that the reminiscence perform of adults with a poor weight loss plan initially of the trial improved after they consumed 500mg of flavanols a day within the type of a complement.

Adam Brickman, professor of neuropsychology at New York’s Columbia University, mentioned the discovering “raises the possibility of using flavanol-rich diets to improve cognitive function”.

In the research, funded by meals large Mars, greater than 3,500 wholesome adults aged round 71 took a 500mg complement or a dummy capsule for 3 years.

They underwent reminiscence assessments in that point and accomplished weight loss plan surveys.

READ MORE: A daily multivitamin pill could slow age-related memory decline

Researchers mentioned reminiscence scores improved barely for individuals who took flavanols – however, in that group, individuals with poor weight loss plan and low flavanol use initially had greater enhancements.

That sub-set noticed scores rise by a median of 10.5 per cent in contrast with the dummy capsule group and so they had been 16 per cent up on baseline reminiscence. 

Researchers mentioned flavanols haven't any impact on individuals who would not have a deficiency of them – however, for individuals who have low consumption of the compound, consuming meals wealthy in flavanols might enhance reminiscence perform.

Gunter Kuhnle, professor of diet and meals science at Reading University and co-investigator of the research, referred to as the findings “exciting”.

He mentioned outcomes “suggest that there is an optimum amount of flavanols in the diet” – round 500mg every day.

Professor Aedin Cassidy, chairman in diet and preventative drugs at Queen’s University Belfast, mentioned: “This is a really important study showing that a dose of flavonoids called flavanols – present in tea, cocoa, apples, berries – is key for improving memory in the ageing brain.”

She added: “The dose required for these improvements in brain health is readily achievable...for example, one mug of tea, six squares of dark chocolate, a couple of servings of berries and apples would together provide about 500mg.”

But David Curtis, honorary professor at University College London’s genetics institute, claimed that the research confirmed “those taking a flavanol supplement for years had about the same memory function as those taking a placebo.

“The study fails to provide evidence that increasing flavanol intake is beneficial.”

The analysis seems in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.