A groundbreaking new study has revealed that a simple daily snack of around 80 peanuts could significantly bolster brain health, improving blood flow and memory while potentially reducing the risk of dementia.
The Study: A Nutty Intervention for Brain Power
Conducted by researchers at the Maastricht University Medical Centre, the study involved 31 participants with an average age of 67. For a period of 16 weeks, one group consumed 60 grams per day of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts—roughly equivalent to 80 individual nuts—while a control group abstained. The trial included an 8-week break to ensure accurate results.
To maintain scientific rigour, participants followed strict rules: they avoided all other nuts and nut-containing foods, refrained from alcohol for 24 hours before check-ups, fasted overnight for at least 12 hours, and did not exercise for 48 hours prior to assessments.
Impressive Results for Brain Function
The findings, published in the esteemed journal Clinical Nutrition, were striking. The peanut-eating group experienced a 3.6% increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF), a crucial marker for delivering oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue.
Alongside this vascular improvement, cognitive benefits were clear. Verbal memory performance jumped by 5.8%, indicating a better ability to recall spoken or written information. Furthermore, the researchers observed a 4.5% increase in grey matter volume and noted reductions in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure.
Significance for Ageing Populations
Lead study author Peter Joris, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, emphasised the importance of cerebral blood flow. "CBF is an essential physiological marker of brain vascular function," he stated. "It refers to the amount of blood that flows through the brain, delivering the oxygen and nutrients that are vital for maintaining brain health."
This research holds particular promise for older adults, whose brain blood vessels can become weaker with age, elevating dementia risk. The World Health Organisation estimates that 57 million people lived with dementia globally in 2021, a figure projected to soar to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050.
The study concluded that daily consumption of skin-roasted peanuts for 16 weeks improved brain vascular function in healthy older adults. These positive vascular effects likely underpin the observed gains in verbal memory, highlighting a potential mechanism through which increased peanut intake can beneficially influence cognitive performance.
