Eating one to two servings per day of green leafy vegetables may help slow the natural age-related decline in cognitive abilities. Try spinach in a morning smoothie. In this study, doctors measured the diets of 960 men and women, aged 58 to 99 at the start of the study, and followed up for 4.7 years.

Those who got at least 1.3 servings of green leafy veggies per day had a cognitive decline rate of a person 11 years younger. Doctors noted key antioxidant nutrients in leafy greens and other foods that may provide this cognitive benefit, including alpha-tocopherol, folate, kaempferol, lutein, nitrate, and phylloquinone (vitamin K). 

Get your leafy greens in our award-winning produce department!

Reference: Neurology; 2018, Vol. 90, No. 3, e214-22

 

Use it in salad:

Spinach Arugula Salad

Enjoy this delicious green leafy vegetable salad.

Dressing Ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar

¹/₂ c + 2 tbsp dried apple juice-sweetened cranberries

Salad Ingredients:

3 c organic baby spinach leaves

1¹/₂ c organic baby arugula

¹/₂ c shelled walnuts or pistachios

¹/₄ c goat cheese or vegan chèvre

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Combine olive oil, vinegar and 2 tbsp of the cranberries in a food processor. Process until berries are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Allow to set for 30 minutes at room temperature. Wash and spin the green leaves until dry. In a large bowl, gently toss salad greens, cranberries, and nuts with the dressing. Sprinkle cheese crumbles atop. Delicious served with warmed fresh, sprouted grain bread.