Researchers with the Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands say that regularly consuming unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts may improve brain health.
The findings, published by the Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, suggest that eating peanuts may improve how certain brain regions respond to insulin in older adults.
During the study, participants consumed peanuts daily for 16 weeks. Researchers observed improved insulin responsiveness in a group of brain regions in the right hemisphere. Those regions all contribute to memory-related processes.
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"The hormone insulin plays an important role in the brain, where it supports memory and other cognitive processes. As people age, the brain may become less responsive to insulin, which has been linked to age-related cognitive decline," said Dr. Peter Joris, the study's senior author and an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center.
Researchers found that consuming peanuts for 16 weeks increased overall cerebral blood flow (CBF) by 3.6% and improved verbal memory performance by 5.8%.
"Our study found that daily peanut consumption beneficially affected insulin responsiveness in memory-related brain regions in older adults," explained Joris. "These findings suggest that enhanced regional brain insulin responsiveness may contribute to the cognitive benefits of unsalted, skin-roasted peanut intake."
According to the study, researchers believe several components in peanuts may contribute to the positive effects on brain health, including unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and bioactive phytochemicals.
