Discover which foods are best for protecting the brain against ageing. Most good brain foods are also good for the heart, because both rely on a steady oxygen supply. Another good reason to stock up!

1. Blueberries

Sweet wild blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, which mop up nasty free radicals. Studies of rats show that a blueberry-rich diet improves memory and motor skills and reverses age-related declines in balance and coordination. Chemicals in blueberries affect the contractile machinery of arteries, and therefore have a good affect on blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure can damage delicate blood vessels in the brain and can lead to strokes.

2. Dark leafy greens

Chemicals called homocysteines are a normal part of protein metabolism, but high levels are linked with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (as well as heart disease), which accounts for most cases of dementia in the UK and Ireland.

According to Katherine Tucker, director of the dietary assessment research program at the Human Nutrition Research Center of Ageing: "Homocysteine has a toxic effect on arterial walls, and oxidation corrodes the arterial walls too, which makes them a bad combination." In order to break themselves down, homocysteines require folate and B12 or B6, vitamins found in vegetables like broccoli and curly kale.

3. Salmon, sardines, and herring

Oily fish are full of neuroprotective omega-3 fatty acids. Higher levels of omega-3 in the blood go hand in hand with higher levels of serotonin, a mood-enhancing brain chemical. A study from the Rush Institute for Healthy Ageing in Chicago found that people who eat at least one fish meal a week are significantly less likely to end up with Alzheimer's disease than those who regularly eschew fish.

Because a fish diet aids communication between nerve cells, studies have shown its positive effect on learning acquisition and memory performance. Try to include at least two portions of oily fish in your diet each week.

4. Spinach

Spinach research has finally caught up with Mum's advice: spinach turns out to be full of antioxidant power.

James Joseph, chief of the Neurosciences Laboratory of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Ageing, finds spinach beneficial in slowing down cognitive deficits and age-related problems in the central nervous system.

A salad with spinach has more than three times the amount of folate as one with iceberg lettuce.

5. Red wine (or, better still, grape juice)

Drinking red wine in moderation increases longevity. But since alcohol slows down the brain's ability to function properly, grape juice may be a smarter beverage choice.

New research from James Joseph shows that grape juice significantly improves short-term memory and motor skills. It's not just the heavy dose of antioxidants. Joseph believes that grape juice increases production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Grape juice has the highest total antioxidant level of any fruit, vegetable or juice tested.

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