BASIC BRAIN FOOD

    Blueberries top the list of all berries that are rich in plant chemicals called polyphenols and “a recent study found that polyphenols increase clearance of toxic proteins in the brain,” says Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian and nutrition writer.  (In Alzheimer’s disease (AD) – brain cells become clogged with these protein toxins.)  While researching her latest book, “Leslie Beck’s Longevity Diet (Penguin Canada, 2010), Beck also discovered that “evidence suggests a berry-rich diet activates the brain’s natural house-cleaning process, helping it remove toxins and other compounds that can interfere with brain function.”

     Rosie Schwartz, a registered dietician and author of “The Enlightened Eater’s Whole Foods Guide (Viking Canada, 2003), notes other research suggests that blueberries, in particular benefit the brain.  “Compounds in blueberries seem to play a role in how neurons (nerve cells) in the brain communicate.  There is more about this in animal studies.  A blueberry-enriched diet has been linked with an increase in the birth of new brain cells, as well as improvements in short-term memory and navigational motor skills.  A tiny ad in Wednesday’s Morning Star says blueberries have a U-pick offer for @2.50 per pound at 4886 Grandview Flats near Armstrong. 

    The second in brain food importance is curcumin, found in turmeric and has been implicated in the lower than average incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in curry-eating populations.  The authors of The Rising Tide:  Dementia in Canadian Society, a report commissioned by the Alzheimers Society say that part of the reason might be that herbs like curry, ginger and garlic might cut back the use of salt, which lowers the risk of both stroke and dementia.  Certain white blood cells gobble up proteins that gum up brain function.  Preliminary evidence in experiments with rabbits shows curcumin can help brain cells after a stroke.

     The third most important brain food is “DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found only in oily fish and is also the only one that makes its way to the brain, Beck reports (see first paragraph above), high levels of which has been linked to an elevated proportion of communication membranes in the brain.  The fourth most important brain food is lentils which is rich in folate.  Along with B12 it keeps down blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. Beck will soon have more to say on this in a future blog.