Eating Your Greens
A recent scientific study found that seniors who ate leafy greens every day scored as much as a decade younger on cognitive health tests than people who habitually skipped their green veggies. Nearly 1,000 adults between the ages of 58-99 participated in the study and Rush Medical College researchers adjusted the data to account for age, education, health habits, sex and other factors that might affect cognitive health.
The results are welcome news for many of us, because the authors of the report say that as little as one daily serving of greens could have a positive impact on staying mentally sharp, regardless of your age. That means a cup of raw greens or half a cup of cooked greens could be an inexpensive way to protect your memory and mental agility.
Knowing greens are good for you is one thing. Changing your diet to include more of them — and getting reluctant eaters to actually consume them — is another. Sheth suggested several options you can try, besides the obvious choice of fresh salads. “Throwing greens into pasta, stews, soups, and casseroles is another easy way of bumping up your greens intake. You can also add them to smoothies, or make spreads and dips with leafy greens.”
To learn more about how greens may help our brains stay healthy — and to get appetizing ideas for serving greens to seniors with limited appetites or particular palates — we got in touch with Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDE and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
A little bit of dark chocolate isn’t bad either due to the antioxidants!!!
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