If you want to keep your brain healthy, impressively smart, and wonderfully sharp, then you can take several steps to improve cognitive function that boost your brain health to do just that. That includes using your dietary habits to keep your brain in tip-top shape, according to a new study.
In a study recently published in Neurology, the researchers analyzed data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP). Those who participated in MAP were 960 Chicago adults who were an average age of 81 and did not have dementia when the study began. They were also primarily women and white, while all of the participants lived in retirement communities and public senior housing.
Those involved participated for about seven years. During this time, they completed an annual questionnaire and completed tests that provided data on their educational level, physical activity, mental activities (such as reading or challenging themselves with games), cognitive abilities, and memory. They also looked at their dietary habits, which is how the researchers divided them into various groups based on how much of the food they ate contained flavonols.
The results showed that the group that consumed the highest level of flavonols, which was about 15 milligrams per day or about one serving of leafy green vegetables, had a 32 percent decrease in the rate of cognitive decline compared to the group. who consumed the lowest amount of flavonols. flavonols.
Beyond that, the researchers looked at the effect of different types of flavonols, such as kaempferol, which can be obtained by eating kale, spinach, broccoli, beans, and drinking tea; quercetin, found in kale, tomatoes, apples, and tea; and myricetin, found in kale, tomatoes, oranges, and wine). Eating more kaempferol was associated with a 32% slower rate of cognitive decline compared with the lowest group, while eating more myricetin had a 31% slower rate, and more quercetin was associated with a 30% higher rate. slow.
“A diet diverse in fruits and vegetables is critical for cognitive and physical functioning,” lead researcher Thomas Holland, MD, MSallegedly explained to Medscape Medical News.
“The study is further confirmation of the power of nutritious food,”Amy Davis, RD, LDNHe says Eat this, not that! “Learning that flavanol-rich foods can preserve cognitive function over time is a compelling reason to include these foods in our daily diet.”
Davis also delves into the benefits of flavonols, saying that “they are a type of flavonoids that are particularly high in antioxidants and are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables.” He adds that “the anti-inflammatory nature of flavonols may decrease the amount or duration of neuroinflammation.” On top of that, “the antioxidant properties of flavonols may prevent or reduce oxidative stress.”
As for how often people should aim for flavonol-containing foods or beverages, Davis says, “They’re found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, so including them in most meals will help people get a beneficial amount of flavonols daily.