While Popeye ate spinach every day to
maintain strong muscles, he was also bettering his memory, maybe without
even knowing it.
Consuming just a daily serving of
spinach
-- or any type of leafy green, for that matter -- may help slow the
process of age-associated cognitive decline,
according to a new
study.
The reason? Vitamin K.
A
group of researchers at Rush University in Chicago who analyzed the diets
and mental functions of 954 elderly people over a five year period found
that those who incorporated more green in their diets were
more likely to be
mentally sharp.
The researchers tracked the diets of participants, whose age averaged 81,
for an average of five years. They found that people who ate one or two
daily portions of green leafy vegetables had the same cognitive abilities
as someone 11 years younger who never consumed leafy greens.
Beyond
spinach,
vegetables like kale, collards and mustard greens could also be effective
in slowing down the brain's aging process. Previous studies have found
that both folate and beta-carotene are brain boosters, but this study is
the first to evaluate the benefits vitamin K has on the brain.
“No other studies have looked at vitamin K in relation to change in
cognitive abilities over time, and only a limited number of studies have
found some association with lutein," said Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D.,
assistant provost for community research at Rush University Medical Center
and the leader of the study's research team. The team believes that
other foods
high in these nutrients, like asparagus, brussels sprouts and carrots
could provide the same benefits as the darker greens, and they intend to
expand their research to explore this possibility.
The research holds promise for a brain booster that is accessible and
affordable. "Since declining cognitive ability is central to Alzheimer’s
disease and dementias, increasing consumption of green leafy vegetables
could offer a very simple, affordable and non-invasive way of potentially
protecting your brain from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” Morris said.
The study was presented at
the
Experimental Biology meeting
on March 30.
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