Wasabi linked to ‘really substantial’ boost in memory: study

Good news, sushi lovers: Wasabi could improve your memory.

A new study from Japan’s Tohoku University suggests that the spicy green topping could boost both short- and long-term memory.

While the team of researchers knew that wasabi was linked to a wealth of health benefits — such as antibiotic, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties — they were “surprised” to see the “dramatic change” in participants’ cognition.

“The improvement was really substantial,” study author Rui Nouchi, an associate professor at the university’s Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, told CBS News.

Researchers observed 72 healthy adults over the age of 60 who were either randomly given a placebo or a supplement containing 6-MSITC, a bioactive compound in wasabi that has brain-boosting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

“These functions are important for increasing cognitive functions in older adults,” the study authors wrote.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, compared the cognitive performance of participants — such as “executive function, episodic memory, processing speed, working memory and attention” — before and after the experiment, which lasted 12 weeks.

The group that consumed 6-MSITC “showed a significant improvement in working and episodic memory performances,” the latter of which jumped a whopping 18% on average, Nouchi told CBS News.

While no improvement was seen in other areas of cognition, the group scored approximately 14% higher in brain function than the placebo group.

The supplement contained 100 mg of wasabi extract, which is obtained from the roots of the Wasabia japonica plant indigenous to Japan.

Researchers believe the wasabi extract lowered the levels of oxidants and inflammation in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory.

But if you can’t handle the heat, other foods have previously been shown to have memory-boosting powers: Red wine, certain teas, dark chocolate, banes, cherries or blackberries, to name just a few.

This is because they contain flavanols — a compound that is linked to better short-term memory, according to a study published this year.

The research observed the memories of more than 3,500 participants, who consumed either a placebo or 500 mg flavanol supplement every day for three years. Those who rarely consumed flavanols before the experiment and began taking the supplements saw an improvement in memory function in as little as one year.