with better sports performance, reading speed, and
executive function, and reduced processing speed is a
central and early feature of cognitive decline. Researchers
wrote of this impressive increase, “[This] is significant since
young healthy subjects are typically considered to be at
peak efficiency and might be expected to be most resistant
to change.” They continued: “It can be generally remarked
that improving diet is not simply to prevent acquired or
deficiency disease, but rather to optimize function
throughout life.” I couldn’t agree more!
These nutrients require fat to be piggybacked into your
body’s circulation, to the degree that when a salad is
consumed, the absorption of carotenoids is negligible unless
eaten with a source of fat.^43 A generous splash of extra-
virgin olive oil is an excellent choice, or simply add a few
whole eggs to your salad. In a Purdue University study,
participants who added three whole eggs to their salads
increased their absorption of carotenoids by three- to
eightfold compared to when no eggs were added.^44 If eggs
aren’t your thing, add some avocado, and know that in
doing so you are reaping the astonishing benefits of fat-
soluble, brainpower–boosting nutrients like carotenoids.
So there you have it—a solid understanding of the role of fat
in your body. Many generations of families were led astray
when it came to our most important nutrient, but we now
know the importance of the right fats for the brain. Once I