Top 20 Foods for Brain Health

Top 20 Foods for Brain Health

by | May 27, 2019 | Brain Health, Healthy Eating, Superfoods

According to Doctors Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, MDs, and co-directors of the Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, the following 20 foods are the top common foods available most widely, that can significantly optimize the health of our brain and prevent dementia.

 

Tragically, alzheimer’s rates are continuing to increase, and it’s an irreversible disease without a cure.

 

However, according to Drs. Sherzai over 90% of Alzheimer’s cases can be prevented with simple changes to diet and lifestyle!

 

So…be sure to eat more of these foods on a regular basis to keep your brain in tip top shape as you age!

  1. Avocados

Avocados are packed with mono-unsaturated fats, which support brain structure and flow. Olives and macadamia nuts are other foods rich in monounsaturated fats. Avocados are best however because they are also very high in fiber!

2. Beans

Legumes are the one food group that has consistently been linked to longer lifespan in populations around the globe!

3. Blueberries

Wild blueberries esp., are very high in antioxidants, as well as other dark colored berries such as black raspberries, blackberries, or black mulberries as I’ve been enjoying currently here in Kurdistan Iraq

TIP: keep a bag of berries in your freezer at all times to throw in smoothies and oatmeal when you don’t have fresh berries on hand or in season).

4. Broccoli

TIP: to get the most nutrients, cut & let broccoli sit 40 minutes before cooking.

5. Coffee (as long as your body tolerates the caffeine)

TIP: choose organic fair trade coffee

6. Dark Chocolate

TIP: choose 70% cacao or higher, or add raw cacao powder or cacao nibs to smoothies and desserts

7. Flaxseed

TIP: make sure to buy whole ones and keep in the fridge or freezer, then freshly grind enough for a few days at a time and store in the fridge or freezer in an opaque glass container to prevent oxidation and rancidity. Or buy sprouted ground flax which is shelf-stable — this is what I prefer, also for the taste.

8. Herbal tea

Mint, lemon balm and hibiscus are especially anti-inflammatory and thus excellent for brain health.

9. Herbs (such as cilantro, dill, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, mint, and parsley)

TIP: always use herbs in your cooking, either dried or fresh; herbs contain 10 times more antioxidants than berries!

10. Leafy greens

Among all foods on this list, dark leafy greens should definitely be part of your daily diet. Studies have shown that those who eat the most leafy greens (esp. Including cruciferous ones like kale and arugula) halted their mental decline by 11 years or longer. (TIP: have at least one serving of darky leafy greens every day, but it’s better to have at least two servings per day!)

11. Mushrooms

Even the simple white button mushroom! — According to Ayesha: “The common mushrooms are as good as the medicinal ones, whether they’re fresh or dried. Overall, mushrooms are incredibly high in anti-inflammatories, and they’ve been known to reduce inflammation in blood vessels, especially in the brain.

12. Nuts

The healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts are linked to a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s in multiple studies (TIP: enjoy at least one handful of raw nuts daily).

13. Omega 3 fatty acids (derived from algae)

DHA omega 3s (found in certain algae and fish) can significantly decrease one’s chances of developing alzheimer’s; flax, chia, and hemp seeds, as well as walnuts are good sources of ALA omega 3s which the body can convert to DHA, but the efficiency of conversion varies from person to person.

14. Quinoa

It’s used like a cereal grain, but quinoa is actually a seed that contains all essential building blocks for brain cells and their supporting structures; it’s also a complete protein (TIP: use instead of rice, add to salads, or make quinoa porridge).

15. Other Seeds (esp. chia and sunflower which are high in vitamin E)

TIP: Either grind your chia seeds first (or blend into smoothies), or soak them and chew well to get the maximum benefit from consuming them.

16. Spices

Cinnamon, cloves, marjoram, allspice, saffron contain the highest amount of antioxidants per ounce.

17. Sweet potatoes

TIP: If you have the chance to buy Japanese purple sweet potatoes, definitely do! Okinawans (who are one of the healthiest and longest living populations), don’t actually eat a lot of white rice as most Japanese do, but instead enjoy purple sweet potatoes as a staple starch in their diet. Try having a sweet potato for breakfast!

18. Tea (esp. green and white teas)

I’m sure you’ve heard that green tea is great for the health, but even oolong and black tea have benefits for brain health, as long as you’re not consuming with milk and sugar.

19. Turmeric

This spice is so powerful that it gets a spot of its own, separate from the other spices mentioned above. Enjoy turmeric by using more curry powder in your cooking, or sip on a cup of golden milk.

20. Whole grains

Oats and quinoa are great, but also try less common ones such as buckwheat, amaranth and millet which are also complete proteins and pseudo-grains, just as quinoa; or for something really special, try black rice which another rich source of anthocyanins, the antioxidants found in berries.

 

For more details on the above foods and their link to brain health, see this infographic from Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai.

 

References:

 

Top 20 Brain Health Foods from Team Sherzai, https://teamsherzai.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Top20BrainHealthFoods_JUNE2018.pdf

 

Brain Food: 8 Superfoods Your Brain Will Love, e-report written by Ocean Robbins. Download for free at: https://www.foodrevolutionsummit.org/brain/

The right way to cook broccoli & cauliflower for cancer prevention

The right way to cook broccoli & cauliflower for cancer prevention

by | Sep 25, 2018 | Brain Health, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, can potentially help to prevent DNA damage, prevent cancer and metastatic cancer spreading, boost your liver detox enzymes, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, boost brain health, increase the production of ATP, along with numerous other benefits.1,4

 

The component thought to be responsible for these potent benefits is sulforaphane.

 

“Beyond being a promising anti-cancer agent, sulforaphane may also help protect your brain, and your eye sight, reduce nasal allergy inflammation, manage Type 2 diabetes, and was recently found to successfully help treat autism,” says Dr. Greger in his book How Not to Die.

 

However, you may be making one BIG mistake when cooking cruciferous vegetables that is significantly reducing the amount of sulforaphane you actually consume.

 

The formation of sulforaphane requires the mixing of a precursor compound with an enzyme called myrosinase, which is inactivated by cooking.

 

But who loves eating raw broccoli and Brussels sprouts? And if you have low thyroid function, you have likely been advised to eat cooked cruciferous vegetables over raw ones.

 

Fortunately, there is an easy solution that can allow you to get the cancer-fighting and other sulforaphane benefits of raw cruciferous vegetables in cooked form.

 

When any raw cruciferous vegetable is chopped or chewed the sulforaphane precursor mixes with the myrosinase enzyme (like snapping a chemical flare), and sulforaphane is created.

 

Though the myrosinase enzyme is destroyed by cooking, both the precursor and final sulforaphane end product are resistant to heat.

 

Here’s Dr. Greger’s recommendation1,2 for preparing cooked cruciferous vegetables so you get maximum benefit from sulforaphane production:

Step 1. Chop your cruciferous vegetable, such as broccoli.

Step 2. Wait 40 minutes for the sulforaphane to be created.

Step 3. Cook until tender (just a few minutes if steaming or sautéing; mushy broccoli just isn’t very good tasting!)

 

Tip for broccoli soup: blend your ingredients first, before cooking, then wait 40 minutes to heat your soup.

 

What about frozen broccoli and cauliflower?

Since frozen veggies are blanched before freezing, the enzyme becomes inert and there is no way to produce sulforaphane.

 

Luckily, there is a solution!

 

Frozen cruciferous veggies still contain the sulforaphane precursor which is heat-resistant, so you just need to find a source of the myrosinase enzyme.

 

Since mustard greens are also cruciferous vegetables, you can just sprinkle a little mustard seed powder onto the frozen broccoli or cauliflower after cooking and it will significantly increase sulforaphane production.

 

And you can do the same with fresh cooked broccoli if you don’t want to wait 40 minutes between chopping and cooking.

 

Or you can add some horseradish or wasabi for the same effect. And only a pinch is needed! Or add a small amount of fresh greens to your cooked greens, such as a few shreds of purple cabbage.

 

Here’s a few recipe suggestions for preparing cooked broccoli and cauliflower:

 

Pan-seared broccoli with garlic – this method is both quick and delicious. Get the recipe here. And try serving it mixed with some hummus if you’re not a broccoli-lover.

 

Mashed cauliflower – just steam for about 6-8 minutes (or until fork tender), then mash by hand or in a food processor with some reserved cooking water or a little coconut or almond milk (for dairy-free option) + flavorings to your liking, e.g. roasted garlic, salt, pepper, herbs such as chives or thyme, or a pinch of mustard powder (or curry powder, which contains mustard powder) if you used frozen cauliflower or didn’t let your cut cauliflower sit for at least 4 minutes before baking.

 

Roasted cauliflower – This is by far my favorite way to prepare cauliflower! And you can do the same with broccoli. I usually slice the cauliflower thinly, or just cut into small florets, toss with some olive or coconut oil + sea salt, then bake until fork tender. Alternatively, you can slice into thick “steaks”, sprinkle with curry powder (which usually contains ground mustard) and roast at about 400 degrees F then top with a whipped lemon tahini sauce, or parmesan cheese. Note: if using olive oil, you might want to cook at 375 as most extra virgin olive oils have a smoke point between 375-405 degrees F.3 Here’s a recipe with video for a roasted curry cauliflower.

 

For whipped tahini sauce, I use ½ cup tahini, juice of ½ lemon, 2 Tbsp olive oil, and ½ tsp salt then whip it in my vitamix, or any blender or food processor will work. You can also whip by hand but it will take effort; there is a point at which the oil will start to separate and the consistency will be icky but just keep whipping/blending and eventually it will come back together into a nice smooth consistency.

 

Dr. Greger’s daily recommendation for cruciferous vegetables is 1 serving per day.1

1 serving = ½ cup chopped, ¼ broccoli sprouts, or 1 Tbsp horseradish or wasabi

 

Here’s a list of other cruciferous vegetables:

  • Arugula
  • Bok Choy
  • Broccoli
  • Broccoli sprouts (which contain 100x more sulforaphane than other cruciferous veggies)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Collard greens
  • Horseradish
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mizuna
  • Mustard greens
  • Radishes
  • Rutabaga
  • Turnips and Turnip greens
  • Wasabi
  • Watercress

 

To learn more about the scientific evidence behind the benefits of cruciferous vegetables, and sulforaphane in particular, watch this video by Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

References:

1 Dr. Michael Greger. How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. 2017.

2 https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/02/09/how-to-cook-broccoli/

3 https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a20470582/cooking-with-olive-oil/

4 Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Sulforaphane and Its Effects on Cancer, Mortality, Aging, Brain and Behavior, Heart Disease & More

The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You Need to Know

The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You Need to Know

by | Sep 10, 2018 | Brain Health, Energy Practices, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

If you want:
  • more energy,
  • more focus
  • improved athletic performance
  • clearer skin,
  • less body fat,
  • slower cell aging,
  • improved digestion, AND
  • a significantly reduced risk of cancer and numerous other diseases
without spending a lot of time or money, …
may I suggest you start making this nutrient-dense green smoothie part of your daily routine?

 

My go-to recipe is packed with nutrition and still tastes great — even my husband thinks so, and he was not even a fan of salads until he met me, smile. However, we all have different taste preferences and depending on the season and where you live, you’ll want to vary the ingredients so I’ll also share the basic formula for a nutrient-dense green smoothie that you can follow to easily whip one up with what you have available.

If you haven’t yet read my blog post: How Much Veggies & Greens do I Really Need to Eat Each Day?, check it out here to learn more about the power of green smoothies.

 

While you’ll find green smoothie recipes all over the internet, my go-to is based on Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie recipe, with a few add-ins to further boost the nutritional content and a few variations based on what produce I have locally available.

According to Kimberly, who is a clinical nutritionist and author of numerous books including the Beauty Detox Diet:

“In one delicious drink, we get the fuel to not only lose weight, but rejuvenate our skin, fight aging, and increase our energy. It’s so easy, it’s so simple, and it has worked for all my clients, from Hollywood stars to busy moms and schoolteachers.”

 

In my version of the “glowing green smoothie” I swap swiss card for romaine lettuce (because it’s so plentiful where I’m living in Iraq and more nutrient-dense) and I’m currently using frozen spinach instead of fresh because that’s my only option. I also add a little healthy fat in the form of avocado or chia seeds to increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from the greens. And then I always like to add some fresh ginger, cinnamon (for both taste and to help balance blood sugar), and an extra superfood boost such as spirulina or schizandra berry powder for extra antioxidants and other phytonutrients, which also boosts the detox power of my smoothie.

 

So here’s the basic formula that I follow, so you can have fun experimenting with different greens and fruit combos based on what’s in season or cheapest to buy.

 

Basic Smoothie Formula:

  • At least a 2:1 ratio of greens to fruit (or 1:1 when first starting out and up to 3:1 for a super nutrient-dense smoothie)
  • At least 1 packed cup of raw dark leafy greens, or 1/2 cup frozen (Spinach is great for newbies because the taste is mild and it blends up really well even in a normal blender so you won’t even know it’s in there, even if you’re not a spinach fan. Baby kale is another great option when starting out, but it’s best to vary your greens every few weeks and switch between plant families – but there is also nothing wrong with consuming spinach every day unless you’ve previously had calcium oxalate kidney stones and the same goes for kale, unless you’re predisposed to hypothyroidism. Rotating your greens will just ensure you get a wider variety of nutrients. Check out this article if you want to know more about how you should rotate your greens and the plant families.
  • 1 healthy fat (Just a small amount is needed, even one nut would do, to enable the fat-soluble vitamins in the greens to be absorbed. Options include: 1/4 avocado, a few nuts or a spoon of nut butter, chia, hemp or flax seeds – I usually add avocado, chia or hemp seeds.)
  • Liquid base (filtered water, coconut water, or carrageen-free nut or seed “milk” (aka nut juice); I just use water)
  • Extra superfood boost, optional (A superfood is a super nutrient-dense food, such as dark leafy greens. There are many others that I buy in powder form and keep in my pantry to make my smoothie EXTRA nutritious, including: spirulina powder, goji berries, schizandra berry powder, and acai powder (though I prefer the frozen acai packets, but they don’t sell those in Iraq) – I also like to add these to my protein shakes for an added energy boost.) 

 

My Go-To Green Smoothie Recipe:

Ingredients (2 servings):
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
  • 2 medium pieces of fruit (I often use 1 pear and 1 apple, or 2 pears, or 2 peaches.)
  • ½ a small banana (You can always add a little more after you blend up if you prefer your smoothie a little sweeter, but I find that ½ a small one is plenty to make my smoothie taste good, as long as it’s ripe.)
  • 3-4 cups (or handfuls) of greens* (I am currently using spinach and swiss chard because that’s what I have available)
  • 1 small cucumber (I add a Persian cucumber; you could add ½ a larger one)
  • 1 handful fresh herbs, optional but encouraged (my favorite is cilantro but sadly that is unavailable where I’m living currently so I often use parsley because it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods and great for detoxification. I also love adding dill.)
  • 1 Tbsp organic chia seeds (or other healthy fat, such as ½ avocado, flax, or nut butter)
  • 2 dashes of cinnamon (I love the taste this gives but in cooler weather adding ginger and cinnamon as especially good for their warming properties)
  • 1 heaping tsp organic spirulina powder, or other superfood boost, optional (Spirulina is algae and it does smell and taste like you might imagine algae would, but that’s only on its own. I PROMISE you won’t even taste it in this smoothie – I tested it out on my husband to be sure it wasn’t only my taste buds telling me that (smile). It’s an amazing superfood that is rich in Chlorophyll which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system,2 among many other health benefits due to its wide array of minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients, and enzymes. The other superfood that I used to add until I ran out of it was schizandra berry powder. Now I’m in the habit of using the whole dried berries to make a daily “tea”)
  • Water (About 1 1/2 cups but I don’t measure, I just pour some and blend, and then add more if needed to reach a nice consistency, or just add extra ice)
  • A few ice cubes, if you like your smoothie chilled (It usually tastes better this way but don’t make it too cold or it can be harder to digest. Also, adding at least one frozen fruit will help to chill the smoothie without watering it down – I usually keep frozen bananas in my freezer for this purpose – which is a great way to save fruit when you have too much and it’s about to become overripe; peaches are another fruit I usually slice and freeze.)

 

Directions:
  1. Pack all ingredients (except frozen banana and ice) into your blend and blend well until you’ve reached a smooth consistency.
  2. Add the frozen banana and ice and blend again to chill your smoothie.
  3. Taste to make sure it’s to your liking. Add a little more banana if you think it needs more sweetness, a little more water if it seems too thick and chunky, or more ice if its not chilled enough. Finally, pour and enjoy! If you don’t have someone to share with you can save the other servings for an afternoon energy boost – best stored in a glass bottle.

 

A Delicious Fall Smoothie Recipe for Picky Eaters:

If you’re not a fan of most greens and vegetables, I suggest starting with this recipe. As long as you like cinnamon and pears, I’m sure you’ll love it!

Ingredients (1 serving):
  • 1 large handful spinach
  • 1/2 frozen banan
  • 1 pear
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1 cup water

Blend and enjoy! Add a few ice cubes if you like your smoothie more chilled.

Some additional green smoothie pointers:

  1. Invest in a Vitamix. It is an investment in your health and will save you money in the long-run. It is not required for making green smoothies — any blender will do — but the Vitamix makes the smoothies sooo smooth! I used to have a  Ninja and when I switched to the Vitamix it was like night and day! To save money, buy a refurbished one or watch for discounts on Amazon. And you can use it for so much more! I use mine to make homemade nut butters and nut milks, blended soups and so much more! There are so many recipes that you can use your Vitamix for. However, if purchasing a Vitamix is not an option right now, I suggest sticking with softer greens such as spinach and baby kale so the consistency of your smoothie will be smooth (unless you don’t mind drinking a smoothie that’s a little chunky).
  2. Slowly increase your greens. If you currently don’t consume a lot of greens, then it’s best to start off with less and then slowly increase after your body has adjusted. Otherwise, you could end up with bloating and gas, which is normal in the short-term when switching to a more plant-based diet, but slowly increasing your intake of greens you can minimize any unpleasant side-effects.
  3. Chew your smoothies. Make sure when you consume green smoothies that you actually still chew a little and drink slowly to optimize digestion (which starts in the mouth with the enzymes in our saliva). This will help to optimize the assimilation of all the nutrients and prevent bloating or gas.
  4. Choose clean produce. Use organic when possible or at least for those ingredients on the dirty dozen list. Or choose conventional produce that’s not on the dirty dozen list, or better yet, that’s on the clean 15 list. Here’s the EWG’s 2018 dirty dozen list, and the 2018 clean 15.
  5. Rub, don’t just rinse. If you can’t buy organic, don’t just rinse your produce under water but also rub it. Friction helps remove more contaminants from the surface of your produce. You also can use a vegetable brush for the non-leafy produce.1 For those that you can’t rub, like your leafy greens, you can use a 9:1-part water:salt rinse3.
  6. Save time by prepping in advance. To save time in the morning, you can pack all non-frozen ingredients into your blender the night before so you only need to add water, ice and the frozen banana in the morning and blend. You could even blend the night before and pack into bottles to grab and go (the smoothie is good for up to 2 days in the fridge), but I think it tastes best fresh. You could also portion out all ingredients into 5 glass containers for each day of the week on a Sunday afternoon. And for the days you’re short on time, keep frozen spinach and fruit in the freezer — you can easily just toss in a cup of frozen spinach with a cup of frozen mango and a 1/2 a banana for example.

 

References:

1 https://www.oxygenmag.com/nutrition/why-you-should-rethink-your-veggie-intake#gid=ci022529562000260d&pid=wash-vegetables-hyman

2 Dr. Michael Greger, How Not to Die, 2015.

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This is a personal blog written by me, Larissa Popp. This blog is my way of sharing both health tips and things that I love and want others to know about that can help with a healthy lifestyle. I include affiliate links only for products I have tried and love.