Asparagus For Your Brain

Help keep your mind sharp with a few tender spears of asparagus.
Low blood levels of folate and high blood levels of homocysteine were associated with greater memory problems for people 65 and older in a recent study. Protect against memory deficits by getting plenty of folate-rich foods such as asparagus. Increasing your blood levels of folate can help keep your homocysteine levels in check. Ideally, you should plan for consuming 700 micrograms of folate per day in food and supplements for the strongest benefit.
Consuming ample amounts of dietary folate can help reduce blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and mental decline when found in excess in the bloodstream. Both genes and diet affect homocysteine levels. In a recent study of nearly 2,200 people age 65 and older, researchers discovered that both elevated blood folate levels and decreased blood homocysteine levels were associated with better memory function. Asparagus has 190 micrograms of brain-boosting folate per one-half cup serving. Other good sources of folate include artichokes, black-eyed peas, and fortified orange juice and cereals.

Reference
Plasma total homocysteine and memory in the elderly: The Hordaland Homocysteine study. Nurk, E., Refsum, H., Tell, G. S., Engedal, K., Vollset, S. E., Ueland, P. M., Nygaard, H. A., Smith, A. D., Annals of Neurology 2005 Dec;58(6):847-857.

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