Blueberries contain a group of plant nutrients called proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins have a unique capacity to protect both the watery and fatty parts of the brain against damage from some environmental toxins. Proanthocyanidins decrease free radical activity within and between brain cells.

1. Your brain controls every function in your body yet we rarely give it a second thought. And, few of us choose foods that protect or heal our
brain. Here are some of the best foods for thought (literally):
1. Spinach—More than Just for Popeye
A study of middle-aged rats fed diets with added spinach, strawberry extract, or vitamin E for nine months found that spinach proved most
potent in protecting nerve cells against the effects of aging in two parts of the brain. More research needs to be done but it looks like Popeye
was building more than muscles when he ate spinach. (Try Ricotta Pasta with Fresh Spinach.)
2. Benefits of Blue for Grey Matter
Blueberries contain a group of plant nutrients called proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins have a unique capacity to protect both the watery
and fatty parts of the brain against damage from some environmental toxins. Proanthocyanidins decrease free radical activity within and
between brain cells. Blueberry proanthocyanidins have greater antioxidant properties than vitamins C and E. Blueberries appear to have some
of the highest concentrations of these powerful antioxidants. In other studies, researchers found that compounds in blueberries may reverse
some age-related memory loss and motor skill decline.
3. From the Vine to Your Palate
A plant nutrient found in grapes, grape juice and red wine appears to protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease. It’s called resveratrol, and it
is an antioxidant thought to be responsible for many of the purported benefits of red wine on brain cells. The researchers found that
resveratrol protected brain cells by mopping up free radicals before they can cause brain damage.
4-6. Omega 3s to Maintain a Healthy Brain (Wild Salmon, Walnuts, Flax or Hemp Seeds)
The brain is 60% fat and requires healthy fats to reduce inflammation (linked to most brain disorders) and maintain a healthy blood-brain
barrier—a mechanism intended to protect the brain from harmful substances. Omega 3 fatty acids like those found in salmon, walnuts, flax
seeds or flax seed oil, or hemp seeds, help to quell inflammation and support a strong blood-brain barrier, while boosting our memory. Be sure
to choose only wild salmon since high levels of mercury and PCBs have been found in farmed salmon and both of these substances may have
adverse effects on the brain
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