An international team of researchers has conducted a study that found cognitive benefits in increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, likely owing to their high antioxidant content.

To reach their conclusions, the team studied 193 healthy subjects between the ages of 45 and 102, testing them for their level of fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant content in their blood streams and cognitive performance on several tests.

"With this work we show a multiple link between fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant defenses and cognitive performance, in the absence of disease and independent of age," said Dr. M. Cristina Polidori, a contributor to the study.

She explained that fruits and vegetables are known to have a high degree of antioxidants that protect against the effects of free radicals, which damage cells and may lead to decreases in cognitive performance over time. The team is currently planning a larger cohort study that will include participants at various stages of the onset of Alzeimer’s disease.

The team recommends that anyone who does not eat enough fruits and vegetables immediately increase their intake to minimize the risk of cognitive impairment.