An up to 92% lower odds for having mild cognitive impairment was seen in people eating more of these hidden plant molecules in a small cross sectional study. But chances are you’ve never heard of them before!Want to keep learning about this topic? Comment “hidden” for my guide on 3 top nutrients for brain health. Most people don’t know that food contains over 130,000 molecules that may influence overall and brain health. One key set of these molecules are polyphenols, which are found in high concentrations in coffee, tea, herbs and spices and certain fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Our modern diets tend to be lower in diversity and amount of polyphenols and this is linked to higher rates of dementia, heart disease and even early death. In a just published study, researchers looked at 92 adults aged 65 or older and compared odds for mild cognitive impairment, a common precursor to dementia and intake of polyphenols after controlling for things like age, sex, and energy intake. What they found was remarkable. Those eating the most polyphenols vs the least had a 92% lower odds for having MCI. They found lower odds for a variety of specific polyphenols including those found in citrus fruits, parsley and celery, flax and sesame seeds, whole grains, nuts, berries, and vegetables. This research follows a major interventional trial showing that those eating about 1200 extra milligrams of polyphenols from foods like walnuts and tea showed a slowing of shrinkage of the brains memory center. My research team has also just completed a brand new study looking at Tartary buckwheat polyphenols for cognition, which I’m excited to share soon. All the more reason to prioritize more polyphenol-rich plants each day. Source: Dietary (Poly)phenol Intake, Inflammatory Biomarkers, and Mild Cognitive Impairment in Italian Adults

Eating polyphenol-rich foods, like berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, tea and coffee is linked to long-term heart health, says new study.