13 Everyday Foods And Drinks Linked To Healthy Brain Ageing

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how the modified Mediterranean, or MIND, diet has been linked to a 53% lower risk of dementia among its strongest followers, and a 35% reduced likelihood among moderate adherents.

And now, a new analysis published in Nutrients has reviewed hundreds of studies about interventions like these.

Researchers looked at lab, animal, clinical, and population-based studies and found polyphenols (antioxidants naturally present in some foods) “represent a biologically plausible and increasingly supported, yet not fully established, strategy for promoting healthy brain ageing”.

This included some specific foods and drinks, though the researchers stress that this isn’t so much about “superfoods” as it is maintaining a healthy overall diet.

“Polyphenols are not miracle cures, but research suggests they may be promising tools for supporting healthy brain ageing,” said the study’s senior author, Dr Mónika Fekete, an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, of Semmelweis University.

“The focus, however, should not be on dietary supplements but on a varied diet rich in plant-based foods.”

With that caveat, the study listed the following as polyphenol-rich food and drink sources:

1. berries,
2. grapes,
3. apples,
4. onions,
5. flax seeds,
6. sesame seeds,
7. vegetables in general,
8. fruit in general,
9. tea,
10. cocoa,
11. coffee,
12. whole grains, and
13. extra-virgin olive oil.

These featured a variety of polyphenol sub-classes, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans.

Not all of these were absorbed in the same way by different people, though, possibly due to differences in individuals’ gut microbiomes.

“This may help explain why the same diet does not affect everyone in the same way,” said lead author Dr Noémi Mózes, an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of Semmelweis University.

“In the future, personalised nutrition could help us better understand who is most likely to benefit from a polyphenol-rich diet.”

EGCG, a compound found in green tea, appeared in a lot of the studies this paper reviewed and seemed to be linked to better memory.

A 2017 trial found that consuming oolong or green tea daily could slash your risk of cognitive decline in half, while more recent research suggested that the compound might help to give our brain cells more energy.

Again, Semmelweis University reminded us that there’s no anti-dementia “miracle diet”.

However, they did say “existing evidence suggests that regularly eating more vegetables, fruits, berries, fibre-rich foods, fish, and nuts” in addition to limiting highly-processed foods “may help support healthy brain ageing and preserve cognitive function over time”.