Our brain needs the right food and precursors at the right time. A balanced diet with adequate supply of nutrients, therefore, plays a key role in our mental and overall health. For example, the B-vitamins can help to reduce the risk of neurone defects. As we have aged novel science and know-how about food for the brain has grown. For example, we have seen on these web pages how neuro diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson could potentially be treated or prevented with simple therapies involving herbs and spices.
There has been an increasing interest in food and supplements for alertness, brain development, concentration, memory improvement and slowing the development for neuro-diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Healthy ageing is an area we have covered with our healthy natural drink YOUNG&FUN. We summarise the key research below on some of its ingredients.
Liquorice
Liquorice, the root of the Glycyrrhiza species is known to have antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of a study by Kim et al was to explore the neuroprotective effect of dehydroglyasperin C (DGC), a liquorice component, against glutamate-induced oxidative stress in an animal model.
The results suggest for the first time that the liquorice component protects neuronal cells against glutamate-induced oxidative injury through the induction of HO-1 expression which is, in turn, activated possible key signaling pathways.
Green Tea
Alzheimer’s disease is now the most common form of dementia. Biasibetti et al studied an animal model system where chronic brain dysfunction was characterized by long-term and progressive deficits in learning and memory. Studies on Green Tea epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have previously suggested that it can have beneficial effects on cognition and memory. Oxidative stress markers and involvement of the nitric oxide (NO) system, acetylcholinesterase activity and glucose uptake were evaluated, amongst other markers.
Results show that EGCG was able to reverse various markers of cognitive deficit e.g. glutathione peroxidase activity, Nitric Oxide metabolites, and reactive oxygen species content. The data confirms that there is a neuroprotective potential for Green Tea catechins. These results also add to the knowledge of diseases accompanied by cognitive deficits and models of dementia.
Lopez Del Amo et al, also studied the green tea compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). They demonstrated that it can inhibit Alzheimer’s disease β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) neurotoxicity.
Mint
Deposition of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the brain is a feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Evidence suggests that moderate consumption of foods enriched with phenolic compounds reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease.
A study by Ono et al reported that the phenolic compounds found in Mint, myricetin and rosmarinic acid, inhibited Aβ aggregation. The investigations on these phenolic compounds showed that they blocked Aβ oligomerization. These results suggest that Rosmarinic Acid (a component of Mint) may play a key role in blocking the toxicity and early assembly processes associated with Aβ in Alzheimer’s Disease.
Pennywort
Pennywort (Centella asiatica) was studied by Shinomol et al. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Centella (Pennywort) can improve mental ability and agility. Other research has shown the positive effects of Centella on brain function and could be a candidate for help with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons.
