Antioxidants help stop cellular damage from free radicals, unstable molecules in the body that may increase your risk of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Though you can take in antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E from dietary supplements, certain foods, including fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts, provide significant amounts of these substances.
Chocolate
Consuming antioxidants found in chocolate could improve your memory, according to Henriette van Praag and researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California published in the May 30, 2007 issue of the "Journal of Neuroscience." They discovered that a group of mice fed the plant compound epicatechin, found in cocoa as well as tea, blueberries and grapes, more successfully memorized the route on a maze compared to epicatechin-free mice. The researchers think that epicatechins, especially when paired with exercise, may boost blood flow to areas of the brain that regulate memory.
In addition to boosting memory, cocoa and dark chocolate contain high levels of flavonoids that may improve levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain, thereby improving mood, according to the University of Michigan.
Walnuts
Walnuts, which contain the antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and contain omega-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids known to reduce the risk of depression. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, consuming just four walnuts daily increases blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts also contain ellagic acid, an antioxidant, anticancer compound that strengthens the immune system. Walnuts also contain significant amounts of copper and manganese, two minerals that are essential to critical enzymes with antioxidant, free-radical fighting properties.
Wheat-Germ Oil
Wheat-germ oil provides 100 percent of the daily recommended value of the antioxidant vitamin E, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, and consuming foods rich in vitamin E may help protect you against memory problems.
Research by Elizabeth Devore and colleagues at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands published in the July 2010 issue of the "Archives of Neurology" found that older adults who had the highest intake of vitamin E had the lowest long-term risk of developing memory problems and dementia. To incorporate wheat germ oil into your diet, add it to pancakes, muffins, cereals and casseroles.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention
- "Journal of Neuroscience"; Plant-Derived Flavanol (-) Epicatechin Enhances Angiogenesis and Retention of Spatial Memory in Mice; H. van Praag et al.; May 30, 2007
- University of Michigan Integrative Medicine: Dark Chocolate
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Walnuts In-Depth Nutrient Analysis
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Walnuts
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
