A balanced diet is the key to development and maintaining a healthy brain. This shows from research by Carola Janssen, who graduated from the Radboud University Nijmegen on November 17.
Nutrients influence the health of the brain. Janssen investigated the role of food in the development and ageing of the brains. To do so she studied the effects of the intake of omega 3 fatty acids and flavonoids (mainly present in fish and fruit and vegetables respectively) from pregnancy and during someones full life. She also studied the influence of a high fat diet as a risk factor for Alzheimers disease.
Her research shows that Omega 3 fatty acids support the development of the brain by improving functions such as spacial memory and motor skills. Flavonoids influences the development of the brain through changes in general activity, spacial learning ability and blood flow thorough the brains, to a small extent. A limited intake of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids seem to provide protection against the death of brain cells and with it reduce the risk of Alzheimer.
