According to Vegetarian activist Dr. Neal Barnard, a clinical researcher and adjunct professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine, the chance of Alzheimer’s disease affecting your wellness comes down to your diet, rather than your genes. In his new book Power Foods for the Brain, Dr Barnard advocates for a complete avoidance of animal products, and few nutritionists would argue.
Dr Barnard’s beef with beef is that animal products contain saturated fat, which ‘has been pretty strongly linked to Alzheimer’s risk,’ he says. ‘There’s no good reason to eat it.’ He explains that saturated fat raises artery-damaging cholesterol, which contributes to the formation of beta amyloid plaques. These gunk-up your brain and are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. So, that’s what you should avoid; but what should you include in your diet to prevent your brain from declining?
Firstly, make sure you have a power plate at every meal. Your power plate should be broken down into four quarters, each containing a vital food group. You should have a quarter of the plate taken up with fruits, one quarter with grains, one quarter with legumes, and one quarter with vegetables. However, it’s not just the quantity, but the colour of the foods that’s important. Make colourful combinations of foods; combine sweet potatoes with kale or oranges with apples. This will ensure that you get a variety of vitamins and other plant chemicals that you need to promote good brain health.
When it comes to the legume quarter of your plate, get creative! This is a vegan’s main source of protein, but that doesn’t mean it has to taste dull and same-y. You’ve got a range of legume options, so pick from hummus, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, peas and more! Also, don’t forget the nuts and seeds. These can be easily sprinkled on your salads, grains, and morning oatmeal and will give you a brain-benefiting boost of omega-3 fats and vitamin E. Finally, skip the most of the supplements, but do take a supplement of vitamin B12. This vitamin is mainly found in animal products such as beef, turkey, and pork, but as your brain needs B12 to function properly, the book recommends taking a daily supplement of the vitamin.
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