They’re GR8 for speeding up digestion, eating for health, and make a fantastic addition to weekly meal prep. Plant-based foods and diets are said to be beneficial for the gut, which affects several other systems in the body.
Diet and the Brain
How we eat directly affects our brains. Scientists have just begun investigating the link between the two, and bodies of evidence supporting the matter are beginning to surface. The field of Nutritional Psychiatry has been examining the possibility that diet and depression are related, and that dietary intervention may be useful in treating it.
If changes in diet can affect mental disorders like depression, is it possible that memory may be impacted as well?
Why Men and Veggies Have Been Paired
A study conducted by the American Academy of Neurology suggests that eating vegetables, along with orange juice and berries, may be related to a decline in memory loss among men.
Approximately 28,000 men were a part of the study and consistently observed over twenty years. The men all shared an average of about 51 years of age and were all health professionals. Every four years, they were surveyed regarding their thinking and memory, in addition to their intake of fruits and vegetables.
The Study Results
Men who had the highest vegetable intake were 34 percent less likely to develop poor thinking skills than men that consumed the least amount. There was a small percentage of the higher group to develop poor cognitive function, but less than those in the group who consumed less.
Though fruit was initially thought to have a similar impact, confidences in the theory evolved as other factors were experimented with.
The same study reflected that those who chose to consume high amounts of fruits and vegetables in earlier years were less likely to develop thinking or memory issues. Interestingly, whether or not they consumed a large number of these in proximity to the final test measured did not affect memory.
Vegetables to Incorporate for Memory Loss
While this study only supports that leafy greens are beneficial for memory loss, vegetables, in general, may assist in overall brain function as it related to digestion. Incorporate these veggies and greens for peace of mind.
- Kale
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Avocados
- Celery
- Romaine lettuce
- Turnip greens
The effects of diet on cognitive function are emerging, but there is still much research to be done. Stay tuned for the latest, but for now, vegetables are still a must, especially for the men out there.