Cognitive decline: here are 3 types of foods to put on your plate to reduce your risks

Some diets offer many benefits for overall health, and are also beneficial for the brain. One such diet is the Mediterranean diet: “He The Mediterranean diet has been shown to decrease white matter changes”, explains Dr. Babak Tousi, a specialist in memory and brain health, in a publication from the Cleveland Clinic. “It increases the thickness of the gray parts of the brain, which we call the cerebral cortex, where the thinking process takes place.“These particularities are all the more interesting because as we age, white matter changes – which can affect the way the brain communicates with the rest of the body – while gray matter (responsible for many cognitive functions) decreases.

The MIND diet, which combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet (a diet used to lower blood pressure), is also touted for its benefits on brain function. But if the idea of ​​completely changing your diet is off-putting, you can start by incorporating certain foods into your plate.

Cognitive decline: Berries improve memory

“Add some color to your plate”, hammers the specialist. Mixing fruits and vegetables daily is a good way to balance your diet, but for the brain, there is nothing better than berries which are rich in vitamins and minerals. A study published in 2014 in the journal Neural Regeneration Research reveals that these fruits “may provide neuroprotective effects” and that they “may be a valuable asset in preventing aging by reducing or delaying the development of age-related neurodegenerative diseases”.

Berries to add to your plate are:

1. strawberries
2. blueberries
3. blackcurrant
4. blackberries

Eating whole grains can slow brain decline

The doctor also explains that high sugar consumption is linked to an accelerated decline in brain function and therefore advises against foods that release sugar very quickly into the body. However, “As soon as you eat white bread, it quickly breaks down into sugar“, he specifies. Which is not the case… with wholemeal bread! “Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, break down more slowly, so the sugar is released gradually, allowing your body to function more efficiently.”

So, you can replace simple carbohydrates with:

1. brown rice
2. quinoa
3. whole grain pasta
4. buckwheat
5. oatmeal
6. wholemeal bread

Omega-3 rich foods are good fuel for the brain

Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for learning and memory because they contribute to increase the gray matter of the brainwhich, as we explained at the beginning of this article, decreases with age.

Products rich in omega-3 are:

1. oily fish: salmon, tuna, herring, sardines
2. oils: rapeseed, walnut, camelina
3. nuts