Wine, Tea, Chocolate Improve Mental Performance in Elderly

OXFORD, United Kingdom and OSLO, Norway—A new study reveals that a moderate diet rich in wine, tea and chocolate enhances cognitive performance in the elderly. The study, conducted by researchers at Oxford University and the University of Oslo, was published in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition.

Study co-author David Smith, a founding director of the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Aging, said wine, tea and chocolate are rich in flavonoids found in grapes, tea leaves and cocoa beans. However, he warned that too much of the trio are known to be bad for the health.

"We found that the effect was maximal with as little as a small glass of wine," he said.

Previous research on wine, tea and chocolate found that each product contains relatively high levels of flavonoids, and all three are also associated with a lower risk of dementia and greater cognitive performance. The scientists wanted to see if a yearlong diet that included low levels of all three could lead to better brain activity.

Researchers found that participants who consumed combinations of between 1 to 3.5 ounces of wine, 10 grams of chocolate and up to 200 milliliters of tea, preferably green, per day had a 41 percent to 53 percent lower risk of performing poorly on cognitive tests than other participants. The different foods had different effects. Those who only drank wine regularly did better than those who only consumed chocolate. Those who consumed all three performed best.

The results did not tend to improve for those participants who consumed greater quantities of wine, tea or chocolate. The authors warn that the test is observational and not clinical.