Explainer | Why eating strawberries can lower the risk of dementia and help protect our brains, and the similar benefits of omega 3-rich salmon, walnuts and wasabi

Strawberries have been found to be high in an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compound that may limit build-ups of protein in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s

Omega 3-rich fatty fish, Japanese horseradish, blueberries and walnuts are also good brain foods. We look at why eating them benefits our memory and cognition

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Strawberries have been found to contain a compound that reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. They are not the only superfood good for brain health – fatty fish, walnuts and wasabi have similar properties. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 11:15am, 18 Dec 2023Updated: 12:05pm, 18 Dec 2023

This is the 26th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.

Strawberries are the latest superfood believed to help protect our brains and reduce the risk of dementia.

They contain a flavonoid – a compound with antioxidant properties that can help manage inflammation – called pelargonidin, which may limit the development of tau tangles in the brain.

Tau tangles and amyloid plaques – both accumulations of microscopic fragments of brain protein – are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Strawberries are the latest superfood linked to staving off dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Other food sources high in pelargonidin include raspberries, cranberries, blackcurrants, plums, radishes and kidney beans. Strawberries have been found to contain especially high amounts of the compound.

Dr Puja Agarwal, an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University, in Chicago, in the United States, was part of a team that established just how powerful strawberries are at protecting the brain.

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Decoding dementia

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