Your brain is the center that regulates your entire body. This is why it has to remain healthy at all times. In order to stay healthy and to improve your cognitive abilities, it is important to ensure your brain gets variety of vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. These nutrients we get through food which is why it’s advised to ditch unhealthy foods that have no nutritional value and opt for fruits or vegetables that supply your brain with healthy nutrients it needs. In this article, we’re going to mention ten amazing fruits that you should eat for brain health. And the best thing of all, you can buy them in every store.

1. Blueberry

Blueberries contain the highest level of antioxidants of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. It comes as no wonder why they are also included into all lists of brain healthy foods. Besides their amazing benefits for general health, blueberries are beneficial for your brain as well. For example, study published in the Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care found that antioxidants in blueberries accumulate in areas of the brain essential for intelligence. These antioxidants directly interact with aging neurons thus leading to improvements in cell signaling.

Furthermore, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published results of the study which confirmed that 9 elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment had improvements in several markers of brain function after 12 weeks.

2. Strawberry

If you love strawberries (and who doesn’t), here’s a one more reason to eat them. They are just as healthy for your brain as blueberries and other berries. Critical Review in Food Science and Nutrition published a study conducted by Hannum S. M. of the University of Illinois wherein it was stated that among abundance of other health benefits, strawberries also have an amazing potential to provide benefits to the aging brain.

Moreover, a six-year study of 16,010 participants found that consumption of blueberries and strawberries was associated with slower rates of cognitive decline. Findings of this research, published in the Annals of Neurology, showed that consumption of these fruits was linked to delay in cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years.

3. Apple

Apple a day keeps doctor away or in this case protects against brain-cell damage that triggers Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Scientists from the Cornell University conducted a study whose findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. They discovered that apple phenolics, naturally occurring antioxidants in fresh apples, can protect nerve cells from neurotoxicity induced by oxidative stress. Quercetin, a potent antioxidant, is the main agent responsible for beneficial effects of apples for your brain health. These findings demonstrate that apples have the potential to protect our brain from damage that triggers neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

4. Orange

Oranges are rich in vitamins, particularly Vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant. It’s this high antioxidant content that improves your brain health. The primary purpose of antioxidants is to destroy free radicals and protect your brain from oxidative damage. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published results of University of Reading’s study which found that drinking orange juice could help improve brain function in elderly people. Scientists behind the study explained that the constituents found in orange juice could play an important role in providing brain-boosting nutrients as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Naturally, eating oranges or drinking freshly squeezed orange juice is more beneficial than store-bought beverage, plus homemade juice doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners.

5. Red grape

Reservatrol, an antioxidant found in red grapes, benefits the aging brain according to a study published in the Scientific Reports. Furthermore, a review of studies published in the European Journal of Pharmacology concluded that consumption of red grapes and reservatrol found in them has strong anti-inflammatory properties that make it useful in protecting the brain from seizures, degenerative diseases, and cerebral ischemia, a condition wherein limited blood flow to the brain results in strokes.

6. Banana

You already know that bananas boost your energy levels and regulate blood pressure, but did you know they are also beneficial for your heart health as well? Bananas are abundant in Vitamin B6 and adequate amounts of this vitamin are necessary for cognitive functioning. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a research whose findings showed that participants with higher concentration of vitamin B6 performed better on cognitive tests than participants with low levels of this vitamin in their organism.

That’s not all; bananas are also rich in magnesium which helps facilitate the electrical activity between the nerve cells in your brain.

7. Papaya

Here’s another fruit rich in antioxidants. Compounds found in papaya don’t only prevent oxidative damage, but they also slow down the aging process thus preventing age-related cognitive impairments. If you need more reasons to eat papaya then you should bear in mind it’s rich in Vitamin C. The American Journal of Epidemiology published results of the study which found that high levels of Vitamin C are associated with lower prevalence of cognitive impairment.

8. Melon

Summer is near and melons, along with watermelons, are widely consumed as a perfect way to freshen up and indulge something delicious without gaining weight. They aid in weight loss and provide a wide array of health benefits and supply your body with B vitamins that your brain also needs to function properly. Vitamins B are highly important for brain health and, in fact, they can prevent brain shrinkage.

9. Pomegranate

Pomegranates belong to the group of the healthiest foods on the planet. This wonderful fruit improves sexual dysfunction, prevents heart diseases, and it can also boost your memory. Group of scientists of the UCLA conducted a study that included 28 participants with memory complaints. Results of the study, published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that 8oz of pomegranate juice per day significantly improved markers of visual and verbal memory.

10. Cranberry

There’s a growing body of evidence which suggests that cranberries are excellent for brain health supplements. They are high in antioxidant content that prevents oxidative processes related to vascular disease and stroke. American Chemical Society published results of the study conducted by team of scientists at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth wherein it was confirmed that cranberries have the potential to reduce brain-cell damage associated with stroke. These findings suggest that cranberries can be helpful for patients who are in the process of recovery from stroke, particularly in its earliest stages in which the most severe damages occur.

Conclusion

Eating fruits is a good way to consume something sweet without adding extra weight or deteriorating your health. Plus, fruits are rich in brain-healthy vitamins and nutrients. This article listed ten types of fruits you can eat to boost brain health and the best thing of all – they’re easily accessible and you can buy them just about anywhere. Fruits from this list improve your cognitive abilities and prevent neurodegenerative diseases. Yes, it’s possible to boost memory, focus, and other aspects of cognitive functioning in a completely natural manner.

Source:
courtesy of NATURALNEWS

by Dr.Ahmed.Zayed

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