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FOOD
making carbs count
of view and protect your heart, blood
vessels and brain at the same time.
Brain healthy
nutrients
According to Harvard University
scientists, it's brain-healthy nutrients
like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta
carotene in leafy greens, peas and
oranges which work together to help
slow cognitive decline. Folate is an
essential micronutrient and one of
the B vitamins which is important
in pregnancy to promote a healthy
foetus. It also prevents anaemia
and supports tissue growth and
normal cell function. Vitamin K1
which cruciferous veg are rich in, is
important for blood clotting and may
promote bone health. This group also
contains lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta
carotene, which may all contribute to
better eye health.
Strictly speaking, garden peas
are not a vegetable, cruciferous or
otherwise, but actually belong to
the pod-producing legume family
alongside lentils, chickpeas, beans
and peanuts. Peas go back a long way,
having been cultivated for thousands
of years and are one of the most
commonly consumed foods on the
global menu. They may be small, but
what makes peas unique is their high
protein content. For example, 170g of
cooked carrot has only 1g of protein,
while the same amount of peas
contains four times that amount.
Peas pack a nutritional punch,
being high in vitamins and minerals.
Their calorie content (62 cals per
170g) is low, they contain decent
amounts of fibre and protein (4g each
per 170g). If you're still not impressed,
take a look at what a 170g serving of
peas provides: Vitamin A: 34% of RDI
(recommended daily intake); Vitamin
K: 24% of RDI; Vitamin C: 13% of RDI;
Thiamine: 15% of RDI; Folate: 12% of
RDI; Manganese: 11% of RDI; Iron: 7%
of RDI; Phosphorus: 6% of RDI.
Oranges of course, are not the
only fruit, but they have certainly
got the creative juices flowing
amongst some scientists at Harvard
University who discovered that
regular orange eaters may have a
20% lower risk of cognitive decline.
This is partly thought to be due to
flavonoids - naturally occurring
compounds found in plants that are
considered powerful antioxidants
and may play a role in preventing
cognitive decline as you age. "There
is mounting evidence suggesting
flavonoids are powerhouses when it
comes to preventing your thinking
skills from declining as you get older,"
said study author Walter Willett,
MD, DrPH, "Our results are exciting
because they show that making
simple changes to your diet could
help prevent cognitive decline."
Greek odyssey
How you cook veg will affect their
nutritional value. Leafy greens are
best steamed or quickly sautéed if
you want to preserve as much of
the nutrients as possible. But all of
them lend themselves to boiling,
roasting or being added to stir fries,
smoothies, quiches, omelettes,
curries and as many other dishes
as you can think of. For some
inspiration in incorporating greens
into our daily diet we've turned
to Greece, where gathering leafy
greens to make a traditional side dish
called 'horta,' is a national pastime.
It's possible if you want, to include
the whole roster of brain boosting
greens in a single meal by following
our recipe for spanakopita (spinach
and feta pie), adding a side of horta,
and another of arakas kokinistos
(Greek peas) and finishing off with
Greek orange cake portokalopita.
Check out the links below for some
healthy Greek food inspiration or
try your hand at our featured recipe
(overleaf).
If you are concerned about
memory loss, Food for the Brain has
a cognitive function test which can
measure where you are on a scale
and compare your results year-onyear.
The test is free and can help
you understand if you need to take
any action or start introducing foods
into your diet that could help you.
You will also be contributing to Food
for the Brain research which will help
inform the bigger picture on mental
well-being. The charity argues that
memory loss and dementia are not
an inevitable part of ageing, and it is
possible to identify your risk factors
early and protect your brain function.
See link below to access the test.
Resources:
Food for the Brain
www.foodforthebrain.org/
alzheimers-prevention-diet/
Cognitive function test
www.foodforthebrain.org/thecognitive-function-test/
Heart Healthy Greek
www.hearthealthygreek.com