Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help Prevent Dementia?

According to a recent study, remembering to eat your fruits and vegetables today could help you remember better later in life. The study’s researchers found that men who regularly consumed fruits, vegetables, or orange juice over a long period of time had significantly better-thinking abilities and memory later in life.

It makes sense, as fruits and vegetables are packed with amazing vitamins and antioxidants that help keep the brain healthy. For example:

• Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, and tomatoes fight the free radicals that can damage brain health, guarding against mental diseases and even Alzheimer’s.
• Vitamin K, an important nutrient found in dark leafy greens as well as other green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, and okra, increases blood flow to the brain. This can help with your everyday memory, such as recalling where you left your keys.
• Folate and Folic Acid, found in dark leafy green vegetables, protect the brain from memory loss caused by aging. They also help protect against strokes, which can lead to dementia.
• Potassium-rich foods, including bananas, watermelon, avocados, sweet and white potatoes, winter squash, among others, play a key role in the function of brain neurons. Potassium boosts memory and learning, and is sometimes used in treating dementia.
• Quercetin – the chemical that adds color to fruits and vegetables – not only boosts the immune system, it protects brain cells from oxidative stress. This has been shown to help improve memory and even help prevent Alzheimer’s. Foods high in quercetin include lemons, apples, purple onions, blueberries, broccoli, tomatoes, and grapes.
• Anthocyanin – which is found in red and purple foods like red apples, red grapes, rhubarb, red cabbage, red beets, and berries – is a powerful antioxidant that boosts memory by protecting brain cells from free radicals.

 

How many fruits and vegetables should you eat each day?

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Here are some easy ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet:

1. Keep a bowl of fruit handy. That way when you are looking for a snack or just wanting to mindlessly nibble, healthy choices like apples, bananas, and grapes are the first foods you see.
2. Hit “start.” Microwaveable veggies can be quickly steamed without making a mess. Microwavable vegetables come in a variety of combinations, as well as with pasta, rice, quinoa, and potatoes, giving you an assortment of delectably healthy options.
3. Blend away. Smoothies are fast, easy, and delicious way to consume a mixture of fruits and vegetables.
4. Add a salad. Eating a side salad with meals is an easy way to add more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. A side salad can also help prevent you from overeating less healthy foods at mealtime.
5. Take a Dip. Yogurt, hummus, ranch, caramel, or even chocolate can be used as fruit or vegetable dips to make healthy snacking enjoyable.
6. Get sneaky. Chop, dice, or even puree fruits or vegetables then add them to soups, sauces, muffins, meatloaf, and other dishes. There are even recipe books devoted to sneaking fruits and vegetables into everyday meals.

No matter how you choose to consume those fruits and vegetables, variety and consistency is key.