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You pay attention to what you eat, you regular exercise, and you don’t smoke. You do things for take care of your heart, you avoid too much salt and added sugars in your diet, and you limit the amount processed foods you eat. But do you also take care of your brain health?
June is Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Awareness Month and it’s a good time to focus on whether your diet is helping to keep that noggin as strong as possible. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Plaques form in the brain, which leads to a gradual loss of cognitive abilities and a decline in the functioning of daily activities. Six million people in America live with Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, the number of deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia increased by 16%. Additionally, 12% to 18% of people over 60 live with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI causes cognitive changes that are noticeable but do not affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Here’s a rundown of the foods we should all include more regularly to support brain health:
Leafy green vegetables
Need another reason to eat this salad? Studies show that the consumption of leafy green vegetables, such as kale, watercress, spinach and collard greens, was associated with slower cognitive decline in the elderly. And you don’t have to go overboard with Swiss chard! One serving per day of green leafy vegetables was all it took to slow brain aging.
Increase your intake of green vegetables by adding kale to your next sandwich, tossing a handful of baby spinach in your smoothie, or tossing sautéed chard into your penne. This refreshing Dr is in smoothie balances the power of baby spinach and watercress with the natural sweetness of green grapes and bananas.
Grapes
Numerous animal and human studies have been conducted which support the beneficial effect of grapes on brain function. Grapes help promote healthy blood circulation and arterial pressure and reduce oxidative stress in the brain, all of which are beneficial for brain health.
Grapes are delicious in yogurt bowls, salads and appetizers. And instead of using grape jam on your next sandwich, try fresh grapes, like we did in this Sunflower Butter Raisin Sandwich.
Frances Largeman-Roth
Nuts
As in other diseases, inflammation plays a key role in Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders. Nuts contain several compounds, including polyphenols, tocopherols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help to fight inflammation and provide antioxidant benefits. Numerous studies have shown the brain health benefits of including nuts in a healthy diet.
Nuts are a great snack on their own, trail mix and other snacks. And you can also make a super tasty vegan “nut meat”To garnish bowls with nachos and use to fill tacos.
Blueberries
One cup of fresh blueberries contains vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K, and anthocyanins, which give the small berries their colorful skin, all for just 80 calories. In addition to providing color, anthocyanins also play a role in protecting the brain. Blueberries are used in various clinical trials on eating habits, including Mediterranean, HYPHEN and LISTEN diets, to see how they can support brain health as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Blueberries are tasty to snack on, and you can also try them in Siri Daly’s Watermelon, Blueberry and Feta Salad.
Nathan Congleton / TODAY
A cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil contains phenols, a type of antioxidant, which help keep the brain healthy by reducing inflammation. In addition to protecting against Alzheimer’s disease, olive oil has been shown in studies to provide a benefit in other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and AS.
Olive oil can be used in many ways, from dressing to stir-fries. You can even use it in baked goods, like Anne Burrell Olive Oil Cake with Blueberry Peach Sauce.
Nathan Congleton / TODAY
Fish
One of the best-documented foods for brain health is oily fish. Oily fish, including salmon, tuna and herring, contain omega-3 fatty acids DHA, a type of polyunsaturated fat. These fatty acids help protect the brain and may lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Look for wild Alaskan salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
Need some inspiration? Check out these ideas for canned fish, or try this recipe for Seared salmon and roasted Brussels sprouts, which has the advantage of also including nuts.
Frances Largeman-Roth
Chocolate / cocoa
Chocolate on the brain? This is a good thing! the flavonoids cocoa powder, cocoa nibs and Chocolate provide a benefit to regions of the brain that involve memory and learning. The main flavonoid, epicatechin, improves various aspects of cognition in humans, thus helping to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.
Get the benefits of cocoa by sprinkling cocoa nibs on your morning cereal or yogurt, add cocoa powder pastries and smoothies, or try this delicious Chocolate milkshake.
Joy bauer
Yogurt
We know that milk is good for our bones and that fermented milk products help stimulate healthy, but new links are being discovered between dairy products and brain health. Our gut has its own nervous system and can produce many of the same neurotransmitters as the brain, such as serotonin.
A study done on older Dutch adults (over 65) has linked higher consumption of yogurt and buttermilk to better executive function, which helps us pay attention, remember details and manage time, among other things .
Yogurt is a wonderful breakfast or snack, and it can also be used in hot dressings, marinades, and dips, like Joy Bauer Cucumber Yogurt Dip.
This month and every month, let’s fill up on these brain-boosting foods. Think of it as a delicious and easy way to invest in your future!
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