Spinach is high in brain-friendly folate. B vitamins play a starring role in the memory healing diet. Folate, in particular, helps synthesize and regulate the chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which send messages between brain cells. An Australian study of more than 200 women found that a diet high in folate and vitamin B6, such as that found in spinach and other dark leafy greens, helped improve mental ability and short-term memory.
Folate reduces inflammation that harms brain function. Folate lowers the amount of homocysteine, a dangerous pro-inflammatory amino acid, in your body. According to a study published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, high levels of homocysteine disrupt the function of neurotransmitters, which can lead to cognitive decline.
Load up on folate-filled spinach for memory health. Folate deficiency is serious. Symptoms include mental fatigue, nonsenile dementia, anxiety, depression, forgetfulness and confusion. The poor Western diet, based on refined carbohydrates, sugar, unhealthy fats, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, rapidly depletes your body’s store of B vitamins. Just 1 cup of boiled spinach contains more than 65% of your Daily Value (DV) for folate and more than 20% of your DV for vitamin B6.
L-tyrosine in spinach improves mental focus. L-tyrosine is an amino acid critical to synthesizing dopamine and norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters responsible for keeping your brain alert and focused. Dopamine affects your mood, while norepinephrine offers a mental lift and improves learning, problem-solving ability and memory function. A recent study found that tyrosine helped improve memory during the increased stress of multitasking. One cup of boiled spinach provides 20% of your DV for tyrosine.
