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Save your brain
Remember these foods -- and soon you'll be able to remember so much more.

Scientists are discovering new ways food and supplements affect your brain. Here's the latest research on nutritional ways to boost memory, mood and kids' IQ scores and to protect against mental decline as you get older.

Curry for the brain. Why does Alzheimer's disease strike only 1% of India's over-65 population vs. 10% of America's? New UCLA research finds one reason may be Indian food's curry spices, especially turmeric, which contains the antioxidant curcumin. Daily low doses of curcumin slashed deposits of brain plaque (a hallmark of Alzheimer's) by 50% in mice. Probable reason: Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory, similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, also tied to fewer Alzheimer's cases. But curcumin may be safer than NSAIDs in preventing Alzheimer's, researchers concluded.

Fish oil for depression. Studies show fish-eaters get less depression. Now Dutch research reports fish oil may help cure depression. "It's a breakthrough finding," says psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal of Georgetown University, author of the new book The Emotional Revolution. Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA. In a study of people with ordinary "unipolar" depression, adding just 2,000 milligrams of EPA-type fish oil capsules daily to regular medication halved depression scores in three weeks, possibly because fish oil raises brain levels of serotonin, a mood-controlling neurotransmitter. In recent Harvard research, very high doses of fish oil also relieved manic depression.

Vitamins boost kids' IQ. Want your children to score higher on IQ tests? Try vitamins, says David Benton, a psychologist at Britain's University of Wales Swansea. In a new analysis of the evidence, he finds 10 of 13 studies confirm that a daily multivitamin/mineral pill raises non-verbal IQ test scores in kids with nutrient-deficient diets. Vitamins can't give a normal kid the brain of a genius, but Benton says supplements can correct marginal deficiencies from a poor diet that cause substandard intellectual functioning. He estimates that one-third to half of children might boost non-verbal IQ scores, sometimes "dramatically," by taking supplements.

Folic acid, an all-round brain saver. To keep memory sharp as you age, eat lots of folic acid, a B vitamin found in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and dried beans, say Tufts University researchers. They find that people with the highest blood levels of folic acid have little or no memory loss after middle age. Folic acid also seems to help prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. A lack of folic acid allows a buildup of toxic homocysteine, which clogs blood vessels and damages brain cells, says Mark Mattson of the National Institute on Aging. He finds animals low in folic acid develop severe Parkinson's symptoms. An easy brain protector: supplements with 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid.

Minerals boost brainpower. Have trouble concentrating or recalling words? You may have marginal deficiencies of minerals, says Mary J. Kretsch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, Calif. She found that men given a low-zinc diet for three weeks lost their ability to quickly recall specific words, and women with borderline anemia (lack of iron) lost concentration and focus. The danger is especially great in dieting women, Kretsch notes.

In recent research at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, older people who took multivitamin/ mineral supplements for a year improved on tests of short-term memory, concentration, abstract thinking and problem solving.

It's blueberries again -- and spinach. A few years ago, Tufts research proclaimed antioxidant-rich blueberries, strawberries and spinach as brain food. A slew of new evidence confirms it, at least in animals. Elderly rats fed blueberry extract beat younger rats on memory tests at the University of Houston. In Canadian studies, blueberries reduced stroke damage in lab animals. Researchers credited blueberries' anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting activity. And at the University of South Florida, investigator Paula Bickford found that feeding animals spinach reversed learning loss that comes with age. How much might help? In human terms, the animals ate about 1 cup of blueberries a day or a large spinach salad.

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Spinach Salad With Berries and Curry Dressing
This recipe is packed with brain boosters.

6 ounces fresh spinach (about 6 cups), torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup thickly sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries, trimmed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Non-Fat Curry Dressing
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tb. plus 1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. curry powder
2 tsps. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry spinach. Whip together dressing ingredients. Add to spinach and toss lightly. Add berries, onion and pecans. Toss lightly and serve.

Serves: 6.
Per serving: 117 calories, 2g protein, 6.4g fat (0.5g saturated), 3g fiber, 13.6g carbohydrates, 67mg sodium.

Contributing Editor Jean Carper is an authority on food as medicine. Contact her at jeancarper.com.