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5 nutrients good for brain health that can delay dementia, or prevent it, and foods to eat with a high concentration of them

  • We all know the benefits for our bodies of healthy eating. Now studies suggest our diet should include some key nutrients that help maintain cognitive function
  • Experts explain how they protect our brains – and the good news is you don’t need to buy supplements to get these nutrients. They are in everyday food items

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Research has identified some key nutrients we need in our diets to maintain good cognitive function and delay or prevent the onset of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock
This is the 16th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
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Eating well is important for general health and it can be especially good for our brains. Studies have pointed to specific nutrients that play a big role in supporting brain health and cognition.

Vitamin D

A collaboration between Britain’s University of Exeter and the University of Calgary in Canada found a positive link between vitamin D consumption and dementia prevention.

Eating healthy isn’t just good for our bodies, it’s good for our brains, too. Photo: Shutterstock
Eating healthy isn’t just good for our bodies, it’s good for our brains, too. Photo: Shutterstock
The study found a diet deficient in vitamin D was linked to an increase in the risk of dementia. People with genetic deficiencies in vitamin D are more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease, according to Zahinoor Ismail, of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary.
Vitamin D supplementation was linked with a 33 per cent lower incidence of dementia over 10 years, says study co-author Dr Byron Creese, a senior lecturer in neuroscience at Exeter University.
Zahinoor Ismail, of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary. Photo: University of Calgary
Zahinoor Ismail, of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary. Photo: University of Calgary

“We think that earlier intervention, that is taking [vitamin D supplements] before cognitive changes occur, is better,” Creese says.

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