Does beetroot juice combat dementia?
“A daily glass of beetroot juice could combat the onset of dementia among older adults,” reported the Daily Express. This news story is a based on a small study in 16 elderly people. The participants were given either a diet that was low or high in nitrates over a four-day period. Nitrates are present at high levels in beetroot and other vegetables, and converted into nitrites in the body, a chemical that is thought to increase blood flow. The participants’ blood flow to different regions of the brain was measured on a scan. This was a small study conducted over an extremely short time span. Its findings suggest that adults who eat a diet high in nitrates may experience an increased blood flow to certain areas of the brain within a short interval, compared with eating a diet low in nitrates. However, this does not mean that beetroot juice, or any other food high in nitrates, can help prevent dementia or even improve mental function. To investigate the role of any food or supplement in
