9 Brain Foods that Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

by Wee Peng Ho for The Conscious Life:Eat your way to a healthier mind with these essential foods for the brainWhile it may seem that Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia is an inevitable side effect of aging, some studies are suggesting that dietary interventions may help protect against mental decline and even prevent brain-wasting diseases.As the cause of dementia is linked to long-term inflammation in the body, foods that possess prominent anti-inflammatory effects may be able to delay age-related cognitive disorders when they are included into one’s diet.1. Dark ChocolateBrain Food Facts:Studies carried out by Norwegian researchers found that the flavonoids in cocoa increase blood flow to the brain and may help to protect against conditions with reduced cerebral blood flow like dementia and stroke. To get the most benefits, buy chocolates with low sugar but high cocoa content (70% or more is the best).However, while cocoa is rich in beneficial compounds, it’s also high in saturated fats. Many times, it’s also paired with high-fat ingredients like full cream in desserts. So it’s best to keep dark chocolate to a small once-a-week treat.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Flavonoids can be found in practically all fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. A good rule of thumb is that the more colorful a fruit or vegetable is, the higher the levels of flavonoids. Some flavonoid-rich foods that have been studied intensively include red wine, green tea and cherries which will be discussed in detail below.2. Red WineBrain Food Facts:The same Norwegian study on dark chocolate also credited modest wine drinking for conferring protective effect on cognitive function and decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This is due to the high levels of flavonoids and possibly other polyphenolics such as resveratrol that are presence in red wine.However, alcohol is a double-edged sword that should be used with caution. Because, ironically, many studies have also found that excessive alcohol intake can lead to dementia as well as a host of other serious health conditions such as cancer by triggering chronic inflammation. So if you do drink, limit yourself to no more than one glass a day.It’s also important to note that in the first few hours after drinking wine, alcohol may actually slow thinking and interfere with the memory temporarily. If you’re preparing for an important test or going to sit for an examination, drinking wine is probably not the way to boost your performance.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Green tea is rich in a type of flavonoid known as catechins which can reach as high as 1 gram in a single cup. Numerous studies have attest to the health beneficial properties of green tea including its ability to cut the risk of cancer as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Its ability to keep weight in check also makes green tea a popular choice in many health promoting diets.3. ClamsBrain Food Facts:Researchers in the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Aging (OPTIMA) found that elderly adults with low vitamin B12 levels had more than four times the usual risk of Alzheimer’s. It’s thought that when vitamin B12 levels are low, blood levels of homocysteine will raise, significantly increasing the risk for dementia, heart attack ad other ailments. To get a healthy dose of vitamin B12, look no further than clams. This shellfish packs a whopping 98.9mcg of vitamin B12 in just 100g serving, or 1648% of the RDA.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Rich sources of vitamin B12 are found in seafood and animal sources including oysters, mussels, fish, shrimps, scallops, liver of most animals and beef. Lower levels of vitamin B12 can also be found in seaweeds, yeasts and fermented foods like miso and tempeh.4. AsparagusBrain Food Facts:A Korean study published in 2008 found that individuals who were folate deficient were 3.5 times more likely to develop dementia. What’s more surprising is that those who were not folate deficient but had low folate measures were also at significantly increased dementia risk. To make sure you get sufficient folate, make asparagus a frequent addition to your meals since one cup of these green spears will fulfill nearly 66% of your daily folate needs.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Other great sources of folate include citrus fruits, beans (be sure to sprout them to maximize their nutrients and enhance absorption by the body), broccoli, cauliflower, beets, lentils and leafy green vegetables such as spinach and turnip greens.5. Wild SalmonBrain Food Facts:According to a study conducted by Tufts University in Boston, subjects who consumed an average of three servings of oily fish a week had almost 50 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These individuals had significantly higher levels of omega-3fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid in the blood than those who took less fish in their diets. And salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids as well as other important nutrients such as vitamin D and B12 that can help to prevent neurodegenerative disorders.But, as wild caught salmons, frozen or canned, generally contain more omega-3, less omega-6 and fewer toxins, you’re better off buying the wild version whenever possible. Aim to eat at least two to three servings of oily fish each week to supply your body with inflammation-fighting compounds. If you’re concerned about environmental toxins such as PCB in seafood, you can also consider taking high purity fish oil supplement.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Anchovies and sardines are also very good sources of omega-3 fats. For people who don’t eat fish, walnuts, flaxseeds and dark green leafy vegetables are rich in plant-based omega-3 precursor, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). But they lack eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the two primary omega-3’s. Although technically ALA is converted by the body to EPA and DHA, in reality, the conversion rate is very low (only about one to two percent) and is further reduced if your omega-6 intake is high. So relying solely on walnuts, flaxseeds and dark green leafy vegetables may not provide your body with adequate omega-3 fats. In this case, you can boost your omega-3 intake either by selecting more EPA and DHA-fortified foods, take vegan omega-3 supplements, or both.6. WalnutsBrain Food Facts:Research by the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging suggested that a moderate, but not high, diet of walnuts helped improve motor and cognitive skills in older rodents. The experts believed that a combination of polyphenols, omega-3 fats and other bioactive substances in walnut is responsible for this beneficial effect.But more is not necessarily good. The study discovered that mice fed on a walnut diet equivalent to a human eating more than 1 ounce of walnuts, or about seven to nine walnuts, a day actually displayed lower long-term memory skills.This may be due to the high omega-6 content of walnut. Although this brain-like nut is high in alpha-linolenic acid, it’s even richer in linoleic acid, an omega-6 essential fatty acid. Linoleic acid could lead to more inflammatory compounds being created and less anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats in the body when the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is out of balanced.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Though the exact mechanism of how walnut improves cognitive function is unclear, most doctors and nutritionists recommend eating a wide range of food, including nuts. So don’t stop at walnuts. Each day, grab and enjoy a handful of mixed nuts, dried fruit and seeds — like hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, raisins, dried cranberries and blueberries — to get a spectrum of health-boosting nutrients each day.7. CherriesBrain Food Facts:Scientists found that the antioxidant compounds,anthocyanins, which give cherries their bright red color possess anti-inflammatory properties that could work like pain medications such as Vioxx and Celebrex, but without the nasty side effects. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS can cause adverse effects, some of which are severe like stomach bleeding and heart attack, especially among the elderly. But cherries do not irritate the stomach the way manufactured drugs do and they also contain compounds that keep platelets in the blood from clumping together.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Berries like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are jam-packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that help to reduce brain inflammation and brain oxidative stress, both of which have been associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s.8. TurmericBrain Food Facts:Plaques in the brain are thought to contribute to the degradation of brain cells and lead to Alzheimer’s disease. A study found that curcumin in turmeric is an effective substance that removes plaques from the brain. Turmeric, a top anti-inflammatory food used since ancient times, is commonly used as a spice in curry dishes. Countries with populations that eat curry regularly, such as India, have been observed to report lower rates of dementia. Add this inexpensive, versatile spice into your meals at least once a week to cool inflammation and ward off dementia.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Ginger is a close cousin of turmeric with similar anti-inflammatory properties. Though study on its effect on the brain is limited, ginger’s ability to reduce inflammation may also confer some inhibitory effect on dementia indirectly.9. ApplesBrain Food Facts:There are now even more reasons to take an apple a day. Quercetin, found in abundance in the skins of apples, has been found to protect the brain from damages associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders in studies conducted by Cornell University. Other studies have also suggested that eating apples may also help reduce the risk of cancer.Alternative Foods for the Brain:Capers, a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, lovage and red onion are also excellent sources of quercetin. Berries like cherries, raspberries and cranberries also contain some but lower amounts of this flavonoid.Source: https://theconsciouslife.com/brain-foods-prevent-dementia-alzheimers-disease.htm