It’s an age old adage: “you are what you eat.” If this is true, many senior citizens are finding themselves becoming memory wizards through eating certain superfoods. Thus, if you are a senior citizen looking for a cognitive bump, the following will explore five superfoods for boosting memory!
1. Green Tea
After a long day, there is nothing better than curling up with a cup of hot tea. According to a study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the act of drinking green tea could aid seniors in protecting themselves from cognitive decline. This is because this tea includes EGCG, an antioxidant that is believed to help brain cells from damage. Thus, seniors can benefit from incorporating daily green tea time!
2. Avocados
Contrary to popular belief, an avocado is not something that is just intended to be spread on toast. Chock full of antioxidants, avocados are scientifically believed to be linked to brain health.
In fact, a 2017 study conducted by the USDA found that “ healthy adults aged 50 and over, who ate one fresh avocado a day for six months, experienced a 25 per cent increase in lutein levels in their eyes and improved cognitive function.”
3. Broccoli
The benefits of broccoli can be boiled down to one singular word: lutein. This pigment, found only in eating dark vegetables like broccoli, is actively linked to heighted crystallized intelligence. A 2016 study, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, discovered that elderly individuals with a higher concentration of lutein, performed better in cognitive tests. Researchers discovered “that participants with higher blood serum levels of lutein tended to do better on tests of crystallized intelligence.”
4. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another great spice that can help promote memory. In fact, cinnamon has two major compounds held within it: these are epicatechin and cinnamaldehyde. Both of these compounds act as powerful deterrents against harmful radicals, and are even believed to stave off tau protein. Those who study Alzheimer’s research would recognize the tau protein as one of the major causes of the disease. Thus, through cinnamon, it is theorized that one can protect against Alzheimer’s!
5. Walnuts
More than just a hard nut to crack, walnuts have proven to be a great conduit of cognitive function. Packed with omega-3-fatty acids, these nuts are filled with brain boosting oils and polyphenols to fight mental decay in the elderly. In fact, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology discovered a connection between consuming walnuts and “preventing cognitive decline in the elderly.”
If your loved one could benefit from home care, don’t hesitate to reach out to a nursing agency, today.
