C? IT'S TIME FOR BRAIN DEFENCE
Want More of This? Get Some Brain Food Every Week.
Fight brain-aging free radical foes with a daily boost of Vitamin C.
Are free radicals really super-villains?
Easily mistaken for the vaguely annoying 90s band, New Radicals, (responsible for the soul-searching lyrical genius of “You Get What You Give”), free radicals can be pretty bad for your brain. They occur naturally within the body, but if left unchecked they cause oxidative stress, which leads to disease, premature aging, and neurological degeneration (like Alzheimer’s).
I don’t want any of those things. Help!
Luckily, protecting yourself is fairly simple. According to an NCBI review of many different studies on the subject, maintaining healthy vitamin C levels can have a protective function against age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
The takeaway?
Eat vitamin C-rich foods to combat free radicals, prevent against mental decline, and keep your brain in tip top shape as you age.
Sidenote: oranges have been lying to you.
Oranges like to make out like they are the Big Kahunas of vitamin C, but other citrus fruits, berries, melon, kiwi (I could keep going) are all great sources too. Not feeling that fruity? NBD. Vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, and the humble spud are all high in vitamin C too. Here’s a handy list to stick on your fridge.
FOR THE NERDY: Here’s more about free rads, the brain, and vitamin C. (Is it lame that I just shortened it to “free rads”?) [source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]