The question then becomes how to get and/or maintain a bigger brain, one with more volume, which is what Dr. Vernooij has been studying. And, the May 2018 issue of Neurology (the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology) published the research results, which concludes the following about brain boosting foods: “People who eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish may have bigger brains.”
To reach this conclusion, Vernooij and other scientists conducted a study that included more than four thousand people in the Netherlands. The average age: 66. And, to qualify for the study, the person could not already have dementia. Study participants were given a questionnaire that listed almost 400 food and beverage items, and they were asked how much they had eaten of each item over the past month. Researchers then ranked results, per person, with a possible score of zero to 14 for each one. They also did brain scans of each participant, to determine, among other factors, the volume of each person’s brain.
On average, brains were 932 milliliters, with the average diet score being seven (out of the possible 14). And, it was found that, to have the best brain volume, the ideal diet “consisted of vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains, dairy and fish, but a limited intake of sugary drinks.” Farmacy at The Chef’s Garden to the Rescue By looking at the list of foods, it’s easy to see the role that farmers play in good health, as growers of fresh vegetables, fruits and grains, and as the ones working at dairy farms. So, this adds credence to a saying passed down through the generations – that you can pay the farmer now or pay the doctor later. Farmer Lee Jones agrees with the concept – that eating nutritional food is at the foundation of health and well-being – and he also shares that, when selecting nutritious foods, you don’t have to give up good flavor.
That, in fact, is the core of Farmacy at The Chef’s Garden. Our farm-fresh vegetables are sustainably grown in rich and healthy soil, so that you can have flavor AND nutrition, as well as a beautiful plate presentation. Here are just three examples of the nutritional value of vegetables. Studies have shown how microgreens promote health and/or prevent disease – and you can find out more about the health benefits of microgreens here.
At The Chef’s Garden, we offer a rainbow of colorful and flavorful products in microgreen size. You can also see how, at a luxury equestrian restaurant, delicious summer squash is helping to keep diners healthy as a horse! Then there are sweet, farm-fresh beets, which are being shown to play a unique role in combating Alzheimer’s disease. Flavor, nutrition and beauty on the plate . . . Farmacy at The Chef’s Garden means that you really can have it all.