Have you ever wondered what is the best food for your brain? Well, next time you approach the table pay attention to the colour of food that you are eating.
It’s uncanny but colour is the indicator that you need to use to identify what is the best food for your brain as food colour is determined by the type of polyphenols combination.
Polyphenol-rich diets have been under the scope of multiple scientific studies. Amongst those, the epidemiological InCHIANTI study (Invecchiare in Chi-anti, ageing in the Chianti area), that included 807 men and women over 65 years old living in the Chianti region of Tuscany of Italy, revealed that people who consumed a diet rich in polyphenols (>600 mg/d) over a 12-year period had a risk reduction of mortality and the risk of cognitive decline in global cognitive function, by 30%, 47% and 48%, respectively.
Those results are the effects of these polyphenols molecular mechanism in modulating AMPK-autophagy system in the central nervous system potentially preventing not only neurodegeneration but also, promoting general healthy cognitive ageing (Reference 1).
But what is the best food for your Brain?
It's fairly easy to remember - the darker the better for your brain performance. Eat plenty of blueberries, blackberries, plums, black olives and nuts.
Remember, ONLY after cooking, add to your dishes plenty of spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cumin.
For all of you who like chocolate, lucky you as good quality cocoa and dark chocolate are good choices for your brain.
And finish with a glass of good quality red wine, rich in tannins and resveratrol it is an antioxidant boost for your brain. Just one glass though!
If you prefer an alcohol-free choice go for green tea. Remember to sip while drinking the tea, as the polyphenols catechins are mostly absorbed in your mouth.
And if you are interested in brain performance, Alzheimer, anti-ageing and food interactions simply stay tuned to our blog.
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