Challenges
Maskot/Getty Images
Quick Win
Sneak in extra veggies. Adding color means you’re adding important nutrients.
Try This Today
- Swap out your pasta. Try zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) and sweet potato pasta instead of flour-based pasta.
- Add veggies to smoothies. A handful of greens, like baby spinach, makes a nice addition to your blended fruit. Toss in cubes of avocado or frozen cauliflower for a creamier base.
- Upgrade your eggs. Trade simple scrambled eggs for an omelet with asparagus, broccoli, spinach or onions.
Why
Finding ways to work more veggies into your diet has many benefits. In a study published in 2018 in Neurology of 960 people ages 58 to 99, those who ate about a serving of green leafy vegetables per day had slower cognitive decline over five years. A separate study published in 2021 in Neurology followed tens of thousands of people over almost five years and found that people who ate more flavonoid-rich foods — such as strawberries, oranges, grapefruits, citrus juices, apples/pears, celery, peppers and bananas — had lower cognitive decline.
More From Staying Sharp
10 Foods With More Protein Than an Egg
Try these for when you're looking for high-protein food to eatGo Mediterranean for Lunch or Dinner
This popular meal plan is good for you — and delicious!
Set Up Your Mediterranean Kitchen
Having the right stuff on hand makes healthy cooking a snap