Eating greens in old age may fight dementia

IT is usually children who are nagged to eat their greens.

But older people are now advised to have green, leafy vegetables every day to ward off memory loss.

Researchers have found that a daily serving of greens, including spinach and lettuce, can make someone’s brain effectively 11 years younger.

Their study of people aged 58 to 99 showed those who regularly ate these foods experienced a slower decline in memory tests and thinking skills.

Green, leafy vegetables contain many nutrients thought to protect the brain, including vitamins called folates which block the build-up of proteins in the brain and lead to Alzheimer’s.

Dr Martha Morris, the study’s lead author from Rush University Medical Centre in the US, said: ‘Adding a daily serving of green, leafy vegetables to your diet may be a simple way to foster your brain health.

‘ Projections show sharp increases in the percentage of people with dementia as the oldest age groups continue to grow in number, so effective strategies to prevent dementia are critical.’

Everyone’s brain deteriorates as they get older, which accounts for middle-aged people losing track of words or walking into a room only to wonder why they are there.

The study was conducted to see if green, leafy vegetables could slow down this cognitive decline.

The 960 participants filled out a food questionnaire asking if they ate spinach, kale and lettuce and how many servings they ate – with half a cup counting as one serving.

Those who ate the most greens managed an average of around 1.3 servings per day, while the least conscientious had only a tenth of a serving daily.

Overall, people’s score on thinking and memory tests declines by 0.08 units a year.

But as the scientists monitored the volunteers over a decade, they found the rate of decline for those who ate the most leafy greens was slower by 0.05 units per year than for those who never or rarely ate these foods.

This difference was equivalent to being 11 years younger in age.

The results remained valid after accounting for other factors that could affect brain health, such as high blood pressure, obesity and cognitive activities.

The researchers stress that this does not definitively prove green vegetables improve brain health,

‘Spinach, kale and lettuce’

however their nutrients are thought to be good for the brain.

Lutein, a natural pigment in green vegetables, is thought to stop inflammation in the brain linked to memory loss, while many studies link folates with protection against dementia.

Commenting on the research, Dr James Pickett, head of research at Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘It’s no secret that eating vegetables is good for your health.

‘This study found eating food rich in vitamin K – like spinach, kale, asparagus and everyone’s favourite, Brussels sprouts – appears to slow cognitive decline as people age.’

The researchers did not directly look at dementia, so cannot conclude it might be prevented, but Dr Pickett added: ‘What’s good for the heart is good for the head.

‘A healthy diet rich in essential nutrients, combined with regular exercise and avoiding smoking, can help to reduce your risk of developing dementia.’