The Impact of Antioxidant-Rich Foods on Brain Health and Aging

Read on to know the health benefits of antioxidants and food that contain them.

Antioxidants are natural or synthetic chemicals that can prevent or postpone certain types of cell damage. Many foods, including fruits and vegetables, contain antioxidants. Free radicals are scavenged and neutralized by them. There is strong evidence that consuming a diet high in vegetables and fruits is beneficial and reduces the risk of certain diseases.

Dietary antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which are bioactive substances found in plant-based diets, have been shown to play a role in the prevention of a variety of non-communicable diseases. Surprisingly, current research suggests that dietary polyphenols may potentially be involved in brain health.

It is generally documented that both natural and pathological aging processes because of brain changes that impact some areas of cognition, particularly processing speed, working memory, conceptual thinking, and executive functions. Interestingly, among the functional changes, cognitive, emotional, and social impairments are highly common and are usually associated with brain changes. Furthermore, oxidative stress modifications play a significant part in cellular changes.

Because of increased oxidative stress, inflammation, energy metabolism disorders such as deregulated autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and modifications of IGF-1, mTOR, ROS, AMPK, SIRTs, and p53 as central modulators of metabolic control, brain aging-associated cellular and molecular changes are frequently linked to neurodegenerative diseases.

Oxidative damage

Oxidative stress, also known as free radicals, is defined as an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and antioxidant defense systems, which is implicated in many damage pathways in the development of various illnesses (including neurological disorders and aging). A lack of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, on the other hand, has been linked to cognitive impairments.

It has been established that nutritional methods and dietary treatments that prevent the indications of senescence, such as cognitive decline or neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, can benefit the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Oxidative stress can be caused by mitochondrial malfunction and inflammation. Chronic oxidative stress activates a cascade of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, impairing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and contributing to lipid peroxidation, protein and nucleic acid oxidation, brain cell damage, and ultimately cell death. Nonetheless, depending on redox equilibrium, a thin line separates the destructive from beneficial ROS effects: they not only act as damaging agents but also participate in cellular signaling and control. Polyphenol benefits have been linked to their anti-oxidant properties.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are chemical compounds that have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties as well as the ability to modulate oxidative stress, apoptosis, and mitochondrial malfunction.

Polyphenols are the most abundant phytochemicals, scavenging superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, nitric oxide, carbon-centered free radicals, singlet oxygen lipid-free radicals, and peroxynitrite. Several studies point to phenolic compounds as the major components responsible for plant-based diet’s preventive effects against aging-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, and they insist on a concurrent improvement in cognitive performance.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid phenol and phytoalexin that has antioxidant and cytoprotective properties due to pleiotropic activities. Several plants release it in reaction to injury or when they are attacked by pathogens, and as such, it interacts with gut microbiota, generating changes in bacterial composition associated with positive benefits. Recent clinical evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that resveratrol improves cerebral blood flow, cerebral vasodilator responsiveness to hypercapnia, some cognitive tests, perceived performances, and cerebrospinal fluid levels, modulates neuroinflammation, and induces adaptive immunity in humans.

Plant foods that have been demonstrated to improve cognitive functioning include cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, carrots, oranges, apples, nuts, spices, berries, grapes, pomegranates, chocolate, coffee, blue potatoes, onions, and olive oil.

Resveratrol possesses neuroprotective and antiaging capabilities, including the ability to reduce DNA damage and regulate cellular alterations such as mitochondrial malfunction, inflammatory response, apoptosis, and epigenetic modifications.

Recent research has shown that resveratrol mediates epigenetic modifications (methylation and acetylation) that persist through generations and are implicated in aging and nervous system function.

Foods that are rich in antioxidants

The nutrients having antioxidant activity and the foods that contain them are as follows:

Vitamin C: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, leafy greens (turnip, mustard, beet, collards), honeydew, kale, kiwi, lemon, orange, papaya, snow peas, strawberries, sweet potato, tomatoes, and bell peppers (all colors) are all high in vitamin C.
Vitamin E: Almonds, avocado, Swiss chard, leafy greens (beet, mustard, turnip), peanuts, red peppers, spinach (cooked), and sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E.
Carotenoids: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, bell peppers, kale, mangos, turnip and collard greens, oranges, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, winter squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon contain beta-carotene and lycopene.
Selenium: Brazil nuts, barley, and brown rice are high in selenium.
Zinc: Zinc-rich foods include sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and cashews.
Phenolic compounds: Quercetin (apples, onions), catechins (berries), resveratrol (grapes, peanuts, berries), coumaric acid (spices, berries), and anthocyanins (blueberries, strawberries) are examples of phenolic compounds.
Resveratrol: Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts are the most abundant sources of resveratrol.