Brain Food Beyond Blueberries ...give your 'gray matter' even more of a boost

N U T R I E N T S O U R C E S

Folate Cooked, dry beans Peas, peanuts Oranges, orange juice Dark-green leafy vegetables like spinach and mustard greens Fortified cereals Enriched grain products Vitamin B12 Animal sources such as salmon, trout, beef, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs are the best. Fortified cereals Vitamin A Fortified cereals (cereals that have vitamin A added to them) Mango, cantaloupe, apricot Green vegetables like spinach, kale, turnip greens Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin Liver Dairy products, like milk, with vitamin A in them Vitamin C Fruits and vegetable sources are best, such as: strawberries grapefruits oranges melons mangos broccoli bell peppers tomatoes brussel sprouts cauliflower spinach

Vitamin E Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds) Vegetable oils Lutein Dark green leafy vegetables (primary source Broccoli, orange peppers, corn, peas, persimmons and tangerines Lycopene Guava; Pink Grapefruit; Tomatoes and Tomato Products; Watermelon Selenium Plant foods, such as vegetables, are the most common dietary sources of selenium. How much selenium is the vegetables you eat depends on how much of the mineral was in the soil where the plants grew. Fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, liver, and garlic Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, and enriched breads Iron Organ meats such as liver and chicken gizzard Beef, pork Most legumes such as soybeans and lima beans Zinc Beef and other meats (turkey, fish, and pork) Oysters Whole-grain bread made with yeast Soybeans

Scientists think that some nutrients may prevent "hardening of the arteries," (atherosclerosis) - a major cause of loss of mental ability - by preventing the inflammation of blood vessels that leads to plaque formation (clogging). Sadly, today's obesity epidemic means that people are facing conditions like atherosclerosis at younger ages, even in childhood. Two of the nutrients showing the most promise in ARS (Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service) research are folate and B12. Fortunately, many healthy, whole-grain foods have or are fortified with these vitamins. Taking megadoses of supplements is NOT recommended.

Antioxidants are nutrients that also can protect the brain. Antioxidants help protect cells from the damage caused by "free radicals" - breakdown products from foods, tobacco smoke, radiation, and other exposures that damage cells. Blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries have received a lot of attention lately for their exceptionally high concentration of these antioxidants. Some examples are Vitamins A, C, and E, and the nutrients lutein, lycopene, and selenium. Berries, especially

Some minerals also seem to affect brain function:

Iron deficiency

has been shown to affect the ability to focus and concentrate in both children and adults

low zinc levels

are related to a decrease in verbal memory - the ability to recall words.

This article was taken from:hooah4health