Published on 10/14/2024 at 4:33 p.m., updated on 10/14/2024 at 4:33 p.m.
Lecture 3 min.
in collaboration with
Alexandra Murcier (Liberal dietician-nutritionist)
In this season, is your heart torn between squash and sweet potatoes? If you want to pamper your brain, here are the fruits and vegetables to choose!
To boost your brain health this fall, different seasonal fruits and vegetables should be favored. But which ones to add to your plate? Here is the answer from different dietitians.
Protecting the brain from oxidative stress and disease
Mushrooms, cranberries, butternut squash, green cabbage… Many autumn fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidants and omega 3, protect the brain from oxidative stress and disease.
“These fall fruits and vegetables (…) are full of nutrients that are not only beneficial for your brain health, but also for your overall health“, reveals Albert Abayev, registered dietician at the Center for Weight Management and Metabolic Health “Cedars-Sinai”, to the media Verywell.
Indeed, antioxidants from fruits and vegetables play a crucial role in protecting brain cells. They neutralize free radicals – these famous unstable atoms which alter all molecules in their path – and reduce oxidative stress. In the long term, they therefore help to maintain good brain health and prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, etc.).
As for omega 3, they contribute to the fluidity of cell membranes and ensure communication between neurons. A sufficient intake of omega 3 also helps regulate mood and reduce the risk of depression.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Fruits and vegetables to favor this fall
Colorful, tasty and good for your brain: here are the different seasonal fruits and vegetables to add to your basket.
1. Sweet potatoes
This orange-colored root vegetable, enjoyed in the form of fries or soup, is full of vitamins (AC) and antioxidants (anthocyanins, beta-carotene, etc.) which fight against free radicals, thus protecting the brain from cellular damage.
2. Ginger
In infusion, in the form of juice or as a spice: ginger contains many antioxidant compounds. The ginger rhizome (in other words, the stem) even contains more than 40 antioxidants (gingerols, shogaols, zingerones), which help fight against oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.
3. Beets
The folic acid in beets helps reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can damage blood vessels and contribute to heart disease.
Additionally, they contain a significant amount of “dietary nitrates” (chemical compounds found naturally in certain foods) that the body converts into nitric oxide to improve blood circulation.
“Dietary nitrates may protect against dementia and memory loss because of how they help improve blood flow to our cerebrum.u”, says Jamie Mok, dietician, in the media Verywell.
4. Cranberries
Cranberries – this small, tart red fruit eaten in the form of pie, jam or sauce – are also an excellent source of antioxidants.
Rich in flavonoids, it helps prevent the onset of certain conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases or Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach and collard greens, are known for their multiple benefits on cognitive health. Vitamin K, in particular, is linked to brain health because it is involved in the synthesis of sphingolipids, lipids essential for the structure of cell membranes in the brain.
6. Nuts
“Walnuts are very rich in omega 3 and they can be eaten most easily in the fall. !”, says Alexandra Murcier.
7. Mushrooms
Autumn is also the season for mushrooms, which contain selenium,”an interesting antioxidant to limit cellular aging“, further reveals the nutrition expert.
8. Butternut squash
Finally, “butternut squash is also rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin A“, affirms Alexandra Murcier. A vitamin, which reduces inflammation, improves neuronal plasticity (better communication between neurons) and helps fight against oxidative stress. It thus contributes to preserving cognitive health in the long term.
