One thing is for sure, in order for us to age well, we need to eat well. When talking about healthy diets, it is important to note that there have been a lot of scientific studies showing that some diets have the capacity to help keep the brain healthy.
Moreover, according to a recent study published in the journal Neurology, healthy seniors who consumed leafy greens on a daily basis, including kale, spinach, and collard greens, experienced slower cognitive decline when compared to the group that consumed scarce or no leafy greens at all.
According to the study’s author, Martha Clare Morris, a professor of nutrition science at the Rush Medical College in Chicago, this is a strong link that needs to be further researched.
A Healthy Diet Can Keep Our Brains Sharp?
The research included 960 participants from the Memory and Aging Project with an average age of 81 and without dementia. They underwent different tests to assess their memory and the scientists also followed their lifestyle habits and eating habits.
For the purpose of the study, i.e. testing the relationship between age-related cognitive decline and consumption of leafy greens, the researchers assigned each participant to one of five groups in accordance to the amount of leafy greens they were eating.
The ones who ate the most greens consumed, on an average basis, around 1.3 servings on the daily were in the top quintile whereas the ones who consumed the least were in the bottom quintile.
This Study Is Definitely a Promising One
After around five years of follow up, the researchers concluded that the rate of memory decline in the people who consumed the most veggies was 50 percent smaller than in those who consumed the least leafy greens. According to one of the participants in the study, Candace Bishop, her daily goal is to eat a big dark leafy salad mix.
One serving of salad usually stands for ½ а cup of cooked greens or а full cup of raw greens. Bishop thinks she is still bright, but she is not entirely convinced that her healthy aging is solely result of her daily consumption of salad. For her, it has more to do with her genes. And, she also has a lot of other healthy habits, including exercise.
It is therefore vital to note that there are a lot of factors participating to healthy aging and green salads on their own cannot stop decline in memory. Some of them are healthy lifestyle, overall health, and education.
Why Are Greens so Good for Us?
Green leafy veggies are abundant in nutrients and bioactive compounds, including lutein, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamins E and K. They play a number of roles and participate in numerous biological mechanisms to keep the brain safe.
However, the researchers point out that additional research is necessary to understand their full influence.
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