It has already been proven many times that food can play a role in the brain health and the risk of triggering dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia. Yes, a brain is healthy if it is well nourished, explains the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
A recent study has just made the link between dementia and plant-based dietary nitrates. Conducted on 9,543 people over 14 years, the study identified a reduction of around 8% in the risk of developing dementia. It is important to note that no associations have been made for nitrates from non-plant sources.
Nitrates provide a source for the production of nitric oxide, which signals the muscle surrounding blood vessels to relax, thereby increasing blood flow and reducing blood pressure. Be careful, nitrates from plant foods should not be confused with nitrates added to processed meats to preserve it. The latter are considered harmful to health and accused of increasing the risk of colorectal cancer.
But then, where are vegetable nitrates found? Answers.
Nitrates of plant origin: which foods to eat more often?
Plant food nitrates are naturally present in fruits and vegetables. The study, published within L’American Journal of Clinical Nutritiondemonstrates that dietary nitrates of plant origin could have a protective effect on metabolic functionsincluding reducing triglyceride concentrations, visceral fat accumulation, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance, which may impact cognition beyond brain vascular health.
Plant nitrates are found in spinach, beetroot, celery, salad, watercress, fennel, leek, parsley or even cabbage.
They are also an integral part of the MIND diet, known to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Called MIND for Mediterranean-Dash Intervention of Neurodegenerative Delay, it brings together 10 food groups contributing to good brain function. Green and green leafy vegetables, red fruits, foods rich in omega-3, whole grains, legumes, dried beans, white or fatty fish (hake, cod, salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, etc.), poultry, oil olive, fresh cheese/fermented milk (fresh goat’s cheese, sheep’s yogurt) and wholemeal bread…This program involves foods rich in vitamins B6, B9, and B12 and brings together fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and foods rich in antioxidants.
