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Spice Up Breakfast to Rev Up Memory Skills

Adding a gram of turmeric to breakfast may improve memory, among those who are in the very early stages of diabetes and at risk of cognitive impairment.

The spice that lends curry its characteristic color, turmeric has been suggested by a number of previous studies to exert potential effects on various parameters of health.  Mark Wahlqvist, from Monash University (Australia), and colleagues completed a study involving 48 men and women, ages 60 years and older, who were recently identified as pre-diabetic.  At breakfast (consisting of plain white bread), subjects additionally consumed one gram of turmeric, 2 grams of cinnamon, or both. Working memory was assessed both before, and six-hours after, the meal.  Testing revealed that the addition of turmeric improved working memory – a generally reliable predictor of future cognitive impairment and/or dementia. The study authors write that: “Co-ingestion of turmeric with white bread improves working memory independent of body fat, glycemia, insulin, or [Alzheimer’s Disease] biomarkers.”

Lee MS, Wahlqvist ML, et al.  “Turmeric improves post-prandial working memory in pre-diabetes independent of insulin.” Asia Pac J Clin Nutr,2014;23(4).

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