Did you know that wasabi, that green spicy stuff you find with sushi, might actually help boost your memory?
A new study conducted in Japan has uncovered some exciting findings that suggest this popular condiment could have some impressive memory-enhancing powers.
Rui Nouchi, a researcher from Tohoku University’s Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, led the study. The research team was quite surprised by the strength of their results, especially since the study involved only a small group of healthy volunteers.
Nouchi explained, “We already knew from previous research with animals that wasabi is good for your health, but what really amazed us was how much it improved memory. The improvement was really significant.” This intriguing study was recently published in the journal Nutrients.
Now, let’s dive into the science behind this discovery. The active ingredient in wasabi responsible for these memory-boosting effects is a compound called 6-MSITC, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
This compound is quite rare and can only be found in tiny amounts in plants.
To investigate the memory-enhancing potential of wasabi, the researchers gathered 72 healthy volunteers aged between 60 and 80 and divided them into two groups.
One group took 100 milligrams (mg) of wasabi extract before bedtime, while the other group received a placebo.
After three months, the group that consumed the wasabi extract showed improvements in both short- and long-term memory.
These improvements were measured using standard tests that evaluated language skills, concentration, and the ability to perform simple tasks.
The results were astonishing. Those who took the wasabi extract experienced an average increase of 18% in their episodic memory scores compared to the placebo group. Overall, they scored an average of 14% higher.
So, how does wasabi do this? The researchers believe that 6-MSITC, the compound in wasabi, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for memory.
This reduction in inflammation and stress could explain the memory-enhancing effects observed in the study.
The positive effects of wasabi on memory were not limited to general memory improvement. Volunteers who took the wasabi extract also showed better performance in remembering faces and names, which is a common memory challenge for older adults.
Dr. Nouchi, who specializes in dementia prevention, turned to wasabi as a potential solution after observing high dropout rates in other brain health preservation methods like the Mediterranean diet, exercise, and music therapy.
He believed that a daily supplement like wasabi extract could be easier for seniors to incorporate into their routine while providing more significant benefits than other anti-inflammatory spices such as ginger and turmeric.
The researchers at Tohoku University plan to continue their investigations by testing wasabi on different age groups and exploring whether it can slow down memory decline in patients with dementia.
However, if you’re thinking of heading to your local sushi restaurant to order a wasabi-packed meal, you might be out of luck. Many restaurants use a dyed green form of white horseradish as a substitute for real wasabi.
True wasabi is native to Japan and is incredibly challenging to cultivate, taking nearly two years to reach maturity under precise growing conditions.
The good news is that the amount of wasabi used in the Japanese study was quite small, so you don’t need a lot to potentially reap its memory-boosting benefits.
It’s worth noting that the study was funded by Wasabi maker Kinjirushi Co., although the researchers assured that the company had no direct involvement in the research itself.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about berry that can prevent cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and the harm of vitamin D deficiency you need to know.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about the connection between potatoes and high blood pressure, and results showing why turmeric is a health game-changer.
The research findings can be found in Nutrients.
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