6. Blueberries
This colorful berry, along with strawberries, raspberries and its other bright-hued cousins, rank high on the list of brain foods. According to researchers at Tufts University, they all contain super-antioxidants called anthocyanins, which not only give berries their vibrant shades but also boost the brain’s signaling and cognitive functions, as well as protect it from age-related damage.
Another large, long-term study of 16,000 women aged 70 and older who participated in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that those who consumed one or more half-cup servings of blueberries or two or more half-cup servings of strawberries a week stayed mentally sharper than non-berry eaters. In fact, participants who ate berries appeared to delay cognitive aging by two and a half years compared to those who didn’t.
7. Beets
They may not be a crowd-pleaser, but these red root veggies contain loads of nitrates that increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain and raise mental performance. Research has focused mainly on beet juice, and the results are impressive. In one study by scientists at Wake Forest University, adults aged 70 and older who drank 16 ounces of beet juice a day had increased blood flow to the white matter of their frontal lobes. This is the part of the brain most often linked to the deterioration that causes dementia and cognitive declines.
Researchers hold out great hope that drinking beet juice regularly (and presumably eating whole beets) could help prevent or slow the progression of age-related brain degeneration.
8. Walnuts
Just a handful of walnuts a day can have a profound impact on your how well you think and remember. That’s the conclusion of a large analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Researchers found that people of all ages who ate 13 daily grams of walnuts performed better on cognitive function tests that measured information processing, memory and concentration. Previous research has shown similar results, including evidence that a walnut-rich diet can slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Walnuts may also help your brain decide that you don't need all that junk food. A small study found that people who consumed walnut smoothies for five days exhibited more activity in the region of the brain associated with feeling full, even when shown images of foods high in fat of calories (cakes, onion rings). This means that walnuts could help you control your appetite and manage your weight. (It also means that, in some way, walnuts are controlling your brain.)
One reason walnuts are so good for your mind is their high levels of alpha linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid shown to boost brainpower. Walnuts are also loaded with free-radical-fighting antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. Other nuts with brain-healthy nutrients include almonds, pistachios and macadamias.
9. Spinach
Like beets, this dark, leafy green — along with kale, collard greens, some lettuces and mustard greens — is high in brain-enhancing nitrates. Another reason to load up on leafy foods is their abundance of antioxidant vitamins and plant nutrients, including lutein, folate (vitamin B9), beta carotene and especially vitamin K. Often called the “forgotten” vitamin, K helps prevent calcium from accumulating and hardening in arteries (including those in the brain).
One study followed the eating habits of 950 older adults (average age 81) for five years. Those who consumed one to two servings of leafy, dark greens a day for five years had the cognitive power of someone 11 years younger than those who ate none.
10. Olive oil
If you’re a devotee of the Mediterranean diet your brain may be in luck. One foundation stone of this esteemed healthy eating plan is extra virgin olive oil, which research shows bolsters memory and learning in mice due to its abundance of monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and other powerful free-radical-fighting antioxidants.
Additional research shows a substance called oleocanthal in olive oil also protects against dementia by ramping up production of proteins and enzymes that remove Alzheimer’s-causing amyloid plaques in the brain. All good reasons to keep more of this ‘smart’ oil handy in the kitchen.
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