Forgetting things, like where I put my keys, is getting way too common for me. I hate the feeling of going upstairs, only to realize I forgot what I was going up there for! Thank goodness I have my kids, they are only to happy to point out my ever increasing forgetfulness to me! Truly, I think they are determined to get the most mileage they can out of mom's weary brain!
So, if eating some more veggies will kick my lethargic brain cells into gear, I'm all for it! Studies that focus on food and memory suggest that the more overall produce you eat, the better. Research conducted by Harvard Medical School over the course of 25 years and studied more than 13,000 women showed that the participants who ate relatively high amounts of vegetables over the years had less age-related decline in memory.
Even better news comes from research that shows that foods that contain the phytochemicals, anthocyanin and quercetin, may actually help reverse some age-related memory loss.
Also, an Australian study found that eating plenty of foods rich in folic acid was associated with faster information processing and memory recall. After just five weeks of introducing adequate folic acid into their diets, women in the study showed overall improvements in memory.
OK--so what are the best foods for eating and getting these benefits from?
Vegetables
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, collard and mustard greens, kale and Swiss chard.
Some of the best foods for anthocyanin: Berries (all varieties), cherries, black currents, eggplant, red, black, and purple grapes, plums, rhubarb, red onion, red apples, red/purple cabbage, and red beets.
Some of the best foods for quercetin: Onions (red, yellow, white), kale, leeks, cherry tomato, broccoli, blueberries, black currants, elderberries, apricots, apple with skin (Red Delicious), and red, purple, and black grapes.
Some of the best foods for folic acid include fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, lentils, black-eyed peas, soybeans, spinach, green peas, artichokes, broccoli, wheat germ, beets and oranges.
And remember the saying, "Fish is Brain Food"? It's true. The omega-3 fatty acids that is are in many fish can help protect your memory. Studies of people who ate fish at least once a week had a 10 percent slower decline compared with those who did not eat fish, a difference that gave them the memory and thinking ability of a person three years younger.
Time for me to go shopping for some 'brain food'!