WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands have found that eating unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts every day may help improve insulin response in certain brain regions of older adults.
The study, published in the journal Food & Function, included 31 healthy adults aged 60 to 75. They were asked to eat 60 grams of peanuts, or roughly two servings, every day for 16 weeks.
During the other phase of the study, participants avoided peanuts completely for 16 weeks. They then switched to the alternative diet, allowing researchers to compare the effects of both approaches.
After 16 weeks, the researchers found that insulin responsiveness had improved in several regions involved in memory and other brain functions on the right side of the brain. These included parts of the hippocampus, lingual gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus.
The researchers believe that several nutrients and natural compounds found in peanuts may work together to support brain health. They said the benefits may not be linked to just one particular nutrient.
The study's senior author, Dr Peter Joris, explained that insulin plays an important role in the brain by supporting memory and other thinking abilities. However, the brain may become less responsive to insulin as people age. This change has been linked to a decline in cognitive abilities.
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