Canadian Food Business
There is a wealth of evidence to show that a healthy, balanced diet supports life-long brain health. In fact, scientific evidence indicates that a healthy diet — that includes whole grains, vegetables and fruit — helps maintain brain function, slow memory decline and may help reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
“Canadians of all ages can benefit from making a stronger connection between how our diet impacts our overall brain health, how it ages and how we learn,” says Dr. Greenwood, senior scientist, Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto and new advisor to The Healthy Grains Institute (HGI), a not-for-profit organization that shares leading scientific research to help Canadians make informed decisions about the food they eat. “A healthy diet, coupled with a healthy lifestyle, helps decrease our risk of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease — which contribute to poor brain health.”
Studies have found that older adults who consume the nutrient-rich diet recommended in Canada’s Food Guide have better levels of cognitive function. Consuming a high-quality diet also provides abundant fuel, strengthens blood vessels, nourishes areas of our brain, protects our body and brain against inflammation and oxidative stresses, and promotes the growth of new brain cells and neural connections.
