There’s evidence that both pomegranate oil and coconut oil may be potent weapons in the battle against dementia.
Pomegranates may have been the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, but they’re a blessing for your brain. It may be a little bit of a nuisance to deal with the seeds, but (according to a 2024 report by Greek researchers) it’s worth it. The scientists recruited eighty volunteers, with an average age of seventy years, who were suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Hey, what in the world is MCI?
Glad you asked.
Those people living with MCI are perfectly capable of completing their daily activities. But they have measurably more trouble with memory and thinking than others of the same age.
Back to the experiment: The Greek doctors prescribed 5 drops of pomegranate seed oil per day to one half of the volunteers and 5 drops of sugar water (placebo) to the other half. The experiment continued for an entire year! The scientists proved that the pomegranate seed oil dietary supplementation was associated with significantly improved thinking function: including memory, problem solving and decision making.
And that’s just the tip of the pomegranate tree.
In 2019, a multi-institutional group of American scientists determined that extracts of the fruit may improve recovery after a stroke. They distilled pomegranate juice and extracted the polyphenols (a family of antioxidant and pro circulatory molecules). Post-stroke patients whose diets were supplemented with pomegranate polyphenols enjoyed better and faster neurological recovery and were able to leave the hospital more quickly than those who were given placebo (sugar pill).
In 2020, Californian researchers discovered that pomegranate juice may be of benefit to neurologically normal middle-aged and older people. The scientists recruited about sixty people and provided half of them with a daily dose of pomegranate juice. They discovered that pomegranates may prevent memory loss and help preserve cognitive function.
Coconuts don’t have the same sensual vibe as pomegranates. What they lack in aesthetics, though, they make up for in power. Several studies have explored the potential of coconut oil to improve brain function in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other types of cognitive impairments.
In 2021, for instance, Canadian researchers evaluated more than eighty volunteers to determine whether a coconut oil based drink could improve cognitive (thinking) function. The scientists randomized half of the volunteers to receive the special formula, while the other half chugged a placebo. The test period lasted more than six months. Those who quaffed the coconut oil beverage enjoyed significantly improved memory and language function.
In 2024, Saudi Arabian scientists scoured the medical literature and determined that the bioactive ingredients in coconut oil may have the power to improve memory in those afflicted with AD and significantly slow the progression of the dreaded disease.
You may be wondering what’s so special about coconut oil. It turns out that it’s rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are linked to potential health benefits (like improved metabolism) and also have antimicrobial properties. Up to sixty-five percent of coconut oil is comprised of MCTs (primarily lauric acid, caprylic acid , and capric acid). MCTs (rapidly converted to ketones in the liver) can be used by the brain as an alternative energy source when glucose metabolism is impaired (such as in AD). Ketones from MCTs may bypass glucose metabolism deficits, reduce oxidative stress, and decrease amyloid-beta plaque formation (a hallmark of AD). MCTs may also increase cerebral blood flow and support mitochondrial function.
The beneficial effect of MCTs on AD happens to be most pronounced in those who were unlucky enough to inherit a pair of APOE4 genes.
What’s APOE4? You may be asking.
Apolipoprotein E is a protein that plays a key role in transporting cholesterol and other fats in the bloodstream and brain. The APOE gene (which encodes the apolipoprotein in your body) has three common variants, APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. Each gene type codes for something just a little bit different (like brown, blue or hazel eyes). Notably, the APOE4 variant is associated with an increased risk of AD and cardiovascular issues.
Want to learn more, check out https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/brain-boosting-smoothie and https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/coconut-cogitation