Eating more nitrate-rich veggies can improve brain health
What's a nitrate and why do you need it? Eating more nitrate-rich veggies can improve brain health. Find out which vegetables are best.
Ramping up the intake of vegetable sources of nitrates may help protect against dementia, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers followed 9,543 adults for a mean of 14.5 years, and found that each additional 50 milligrams of nitrate-rich vegetables consumed daily was linked to an 8% lower dementia risk. Notably, the effect was not observed for non-vegetable sources of nitrates, like those that are added to processed meats (such as bacon). The findings were based on observational data, which means further studies are required to strengthen causality as well as nail down the mechanism and determine specific dietary recommendations for nitrate intake. Here are the leading sources of nitrates to help keep your brain fit.
Arugula
Beets
Bok Choy
Cabbage
Carrot
Celery
Lettuce
Kale
Mustard Greens
Parsley
Rhubarb
Spinach
Swiss chard
Want to learn more? Nitrates in Vegetables Help Build Muscle
References
https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)63951-6/fulltext
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
