Mince it, dice it, or slice it—consider onions the new brain superfood.
When it comes to brain chow, blueberries, spinach, and omega-3-rich foods get all the cred. But did you know there are a host of other brain-boosting bites—many of which you probably already eat—that can safeguard your grey and white matter against disease?
Case in point: Antioxidants in onions may protect the brain from stroke-inducing damage, according to a brand new study in the journal Nutrition. Read on for more about onion’s cerebral benefits, plus four other items that can help you keep your dome sharp. (And for more mind-enriching tips, follow these 27 Ways to Power Up Your Brain.)
Onions
In the study, researchers fed some mice a regular diet and gave others a diet supplemented with an onion extract. When they induced stroke in all the animals, the onion-fed critters suffered significantly less brain damage. The reason: Antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase, in onions may block the formation of reactive oxygen species—compounds that damage the protective blood-brain barrier during a stroke.
Eggs
Choline, a nutrient found in eggs, chicken, and kidney beans, may protect your brain as you age, reports a study published last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the nearly 1,400 adults studied, researchers found that those with the highest choline intake performed better on memory tests and were less likely to have markers of blood vessel disease in the brain that could contribute to dementia. Choline is needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which may play a role in memory and brain health. The recommended amount of choline for men is 550 mg per day—about the amount in five hard-boiled eggs. (Sick of your boring old morning scramble? Check out these Easy New Egg Recipes.)
Coffee
Order your java fully loaded: Caffeinated coffee might help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at the University of South Florida. In a study, scientists gave mice that were bred to develop Alzheimer’s disease either caffeinated coffee, decaf, or straight caffeine. They found that the regular coffee increased the levels of a brain-boosting hormone (granulocyte colony stimulating factor), which reduced symptoms of the disease. The hormone spurs the production of new neurons and creates connections between existing ones, researchers found. The key to reaping the benefits is the amount of coffee you take in: You’ll need about four cups of drip coffee each day spread out until about 4 p.m. (Later than that, and it could keep you from falling asleep.)
Citrus
Make it your main squeeze: People who ate two or more servings a day over 14 years had a 10 percent lower stroke risk compared with those who ate fewer than two servings a day, reports a 2012 study in Stroke. Credit a certain compounds found in oranges and grapefruits called flavones. The chemicals may improve the function of blood vessels and have anti-inflammatory effects that could reduce the risk for strokes due to blood clots. Reach for whole fruits—juices are often packed with sugar.
Red Wine
Compounds in grape seeds may help fight Alzheimer’s disease, a 2011 study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reports. Researchers found that grape-seed extract significantly reduced levels of proteins that contributed to the development of the disease in mice predisposed to develop memory problems. Red wine also includes the compound, so ahead and enjoy a glass with dinner. Need suggestions? Here are the 10 Best Wines for Under $15.
Additional research by Andrew Katz
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