THE 30-SECOND BRAIN BOOSTER
Need a quick memory jolt? A small study from Wheeling Jesuit University
found that chewing cinnamon gum during a cognitive test helped improve
memory function. When concentration is key, it might be worth a chomp.But the positive effects didn’t stop with veggies. These researchers also found
that people who reported a higher consumption of one specific fruit—berries—
had a slower rate of cognitive decline.
It’s also a good idea to add seeds to your diet (heck, just lump them together
all at once and have a salmon salad topped with berries and seeds). A 2015
British Journal of Nutrition study looked at the diet habits and cognitive function
of more than 2,500 people; they found that a higher intake of lignan, a chemical
compound found in sesame seeds, flaxseed, and pumpkin seeds, was associated
with less decline in cognitive function, memory, and information processing. The
people who had the lowest lignan intake? They had a 3.5 times greater decline in
cognitive function and a 6 times greater decline in memory. But forget their
brain powers—seeds are crunchy-good eating (get started with the recipes on
Low Effort and Big Batch).
Finally, embrace that special-occasion sugar in the form of dark chocolate.
Research is showing that flavanols—phytonutrients found in foods such as
chocolate, tea, red wine, and blueberries—help facilitate brain connections. They
may also protect brain cells from toxins and the negative effects of
inflammation. A small study looked at older people whose memories were in
good shape for their ages. Three groups of people drank a brew containing
different amounts of cocoa flavanols. The greatest improvement in mental tests
came from the high flavanol group. (Side benefit: the cocoa flavanols also
reduced blood pressure and improved insulin resistance.)