- What we eat makes a difference to our brain health.
- Neurologists Ayesha and Dean Sherzai list 9 favorite foods to boost cognition.
- Everything on their list is a plant.
Neurologists Ayesha and Dean Sherzai have spent their careers studying how to have a healthy brain.
“We learned that there are actually things you can do,” Sherzai told Business Insider. “Lifestyle has the most profound effect on brain health, more than anyone could imagine.”
A large study that both doctors often refer to, which looked at the diets of older people living in public housing and nursing homes around Chicago, found that those who adhered to a more brain-friendly diet had a 53 percent lower risk of developing dementia.
“These are unimaginable numbers,” Sherzai said. “No protocol, no weird stuff, no mixing vitamins.”
It’s findings like these that have convinced the “Brain Docs,” as they call themselves on social media, to focus on promoting “simple dietary changes” that people can make immediately to promote better cognitive health, rather than waiting for drugs to treat dementia symptoms later in life.
“We believe that if you take care of brain health, you take care of all health,” he said. “Everything you need for the heart, liver and kidneys is included in the neurological system.”
9 Foods Proven to Boost Brain Health
Green vegetables
Cost: About $1 for a serving of bagged spinach (2 cups)
Evidence: Eating at least one serving of leafy greens, such as lettuce, spinach, or kale per day, is associated with better cognitive test scores for skills such as working memory, spatial awareness, and perception in older adults. Scientists believe that nutrients in the leaves, including folate, nitrate, and lutein, likely have a neuroprotective effect.
Legumes
Cost: $0.50 or less per serving for foods like canned chickpeas, black beans or bagged lentils
Evidence: Studies consistently suggest that plant proteins like legumes are good for the aging brain — and nutrition experts suspect that may be partly because they’re rich in B vitamins that help keep our nervous systems functioning properly.
Berries
Cost: Probably the most expensive item on this list, at around $3 to $7 for a carton of fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. But since a serving of berries is only a half-cup, you can still probably You can always opt for frozen berries (cheaper), which studies show are just as nutritious as fresh fruit, and sometimes even more so, since fruits are usually frozen just when they reach peak ripeness.
Evidence: Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are rich in chemicals that help our cells function properly. Evidence suggests they may also prevent some of the oxidative stress associated with cognitive decline, but more research is needed to better understand the precise link between berry consumption and better brain health.
Whole grains
Cost: Similar to legumes, typically less (and sometimes much less) than $1 per serving for foods like oats, bulgur, corn, millet, quinoa, or brown rice.
Evidence: Whole grains are consistently associated with slower cognitive decline, and experts think it probably has something to do with all the anti-inflammatory effects they have on the body. Whole grains are also very effective at preventing other health problems, like diabetes and heart disease, which can accelerate cognitive decline because they impact our vascular health.
Nuts
Cost: Varies, but considering a one-pound bag of walnuts or almonds typically costs around $5-6, each serving would cost less than $0.50
Evidence: Walnuts are considered great for the brain, largely because they’re packed with nutrients, many of which naturally improve vascular health and reduce inflammation. Walnuts are a particularly popular choice among nutrition enthusiasts and longevity seekers because they offer a healthy dose of omega-3s, which “is the only fat your brain needs,” Sherzai says.
Herbs and spices
Cost: a few cents
Evidence: There are several reasons why seasonings may improve cognitive health. The favorite example among many health experts is turmeric, which has good anti-inflammatory effects and is consistently linked to better cognitive function, but there are also real benefits to a variety of other spices, including cinnamon (anti-inflammatory) and chili peppers, especially black pepper (which increases absorption of other nutrients and may be directly neuroprotective). In general, being able to spice up your meals in a way that you enjoy also means you’ll be able to cook more at home and eat fewer processed foods, which is also a boon to overall health and well-being and is linked to a lower risk of dementia.
Seeds
Cost: About $0.35 to $0.75 per serving for things like chia seeds and pumpkin seeds
Evidence: Like nuts, seeds are great for the brain because they are high in fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals, including fatty acids like omega-3s.
Cruciferous
Cost: Between $0.50 and $1 per serving of broccoli or similar brassica vegetables, such as Swiss chard, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Evidence: These crunchy stems are a well-known health food because they are great for blood circulation. They are consistently associated with less cognitive decline, are excellent cancer preventatives, and reduce the incidence of stroke.
Tea
Cost: Varies, but generally between $0.10 and $0.60 per cup.
Evidence: Tea leaves are loaded with various plant compounds that may benefit our long-term health, improving inflammation (a hallmark of dementia) and perhaps even lubricating neurotransmission.
You may have noticed that everything on this list is a plant.
Experts say it is too simplistic to try to break down these natural foods into exhaustive lists of nutritional components that fully explain their health benefits.
While they all offer vitamins, fiber, and other beneficial compounds, they also each constitute their own little biological system, working synergistically with our bodies in ways we may not fully understand.
“The data shows that if you eat more plants and less processed foods, you’re going to do incredibly well,” Sherzai said. “It’s not about superfoods, it’s about diet.”