Brain Health: 11 Foods Experts Say May Help Ward Off Dementia

Experts and researchers told HuffPost that diet influences brain health and that certain foods — including blueberries, leafy greens, fatty fish, eggs, turmeric and fermented items — contain nutrients or compounds linked in studies or expert commentary to measures associated with cognitive function; a 2022 Neurology study reported higher intake of flavonoid-rich foods was associated with lower dementia risk.

Diet can influence brain health, experts told HuffPost, and nutrition is described as a foundation for mental acuity. The brain represents about 2% of body weight but consumes roughly 20% of the body's calories, and clinicians say what we eat affects brain energetics and inflammation. Researchers note that diet and environmental factors are being studied for their roles in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. A 2022 Neurology study is reported to have linked higher intake of flavonoid-rich foods with a lower risk of developing dementia. Key points about foods and findings: - Experts identified 11 foods and food groups mentioned in the article, including blueberries, leafy greens (spinach, kale), fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), eggs, avocado, broccoli, tuna, turmeric, ginger, ginkgo biloba and fermented foods (kimchi, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, yogurt). - Specific nutrients and compounds were highlighted: flavonoids and anthocyanins in berries, omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish, choline in egg yolks, sulforaphane in broccoli, curcumin in turmeric, and probiotic-supporting components in fermented foods. - The article cites a 2022 Neurology study that reported increasing foods high in flavonoids was associated with a lower chance of developing dementia. - Experts described mechanisms by which diet may matter, including effects on brain energetics (blood flow, oxygen, mitochondrial function, ketones) and inflammation linked to pathogens, toxins and metabolic disease. - The piece also notes the gut–brain connection: changing gut bacteria with probiotics or fermented foods is reported to influence immune and nervous system communication, and clinicians connected an unhealthy gut microbiome and obesity with higher risk for Alzheimer’s. Summary: Experts and some studies link several foods and nutrients to markers associated with cognitive function, naming flavonoid-rich fruits, leafy greens, omega-3–rich fish, choline sources and fermented items among others. Researchers and clinicians say diet can affect brain energetics and inflammation, factors under study in Alzheimer's disease. Undetermined at this time.