Foods That Help You Focus

Quick Win

Foods that fight inflammation may also lower your risk of cognitive decline. Pass the berries, please!

Try This Today

• Eat lots of colorful fruits and veggies. Darker berries, like blueberries and blackberries, and dark leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard and kale contain antioxidants like beta carotene that can neutralize inflammation-causing free radicals and may help ward off cognitive decline.
• Enjoy salmon or flaxseed. These contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in the brain-healthy Mediterranean, DASH and MIND diets.
• Add beans and legumes for a dose of B vitamins to help combat inflammation. B vitamins may also help reduce cognitive decline.
• Choose whole grains over processed. Fiber-rich grains like oats and brown rice may help prevent age-related brain inflammation.

Why

An anti-inflammatory diet rich in foods like fruits, vegetables and beans may lower risk of developing dementia later in life, according to a study of 1,059 adults with an average age of 73 published in 2021 in Neurology. This is in line with the advice found in AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health report “Brain Food.” The 2018 report notes that “improvements in your diet can help your brain health and lower your risks of cognitive decline whenever you decide to start.” The GCBH encourages regular consumption of berries, fresh vegetables (in particular leafy greens), nuts, fish and seafood and healthy fats as well as the inclusion of beans and other legumes, fruits, low-fat dairy, poultry and grains.