Kale and avocado contain a nutrient which ‘keeps your brain young’, say scientists

There is good news for eaters of avocado and kale – scientists say the foods contain a nutrient which makes your brain younger.

People with higher levels of lutein, a nutrient also found in spinach, have ‘younger’ brains than others, according to research from the University of Illinois.

It examined 60 adults aged between 25 and 45 and measured the lutein levels in their eyes, by asking subjects to look into a scope and respond to a flickering light.

Using electrodes on the scalp, scientists were able to measure neural activity in the brain while participants performed a task.

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Those with a higher level of lutein had responses which were similar to people who are younger.

Anne Walk, lead author of the research, said: ‘We want to understand how diet impacts cognition throughout the lifespan.

‘If lutein can protect against decline, we should encourage people to consume lutein-rich foods at a point in their lives when it has maximum benefit.

‘The neuro-electrical signature of older participants with higher levels of lutein looked much more like their younger counterparts than their peers with less lutein.

‘Lutein appears to have some protective role, since the data suggest that those with more lutein were able to engage more cognitive resources to complete the task.’

Naiman Khan, who worked on the research, said: ‘Now there’s an additional reason to eat nutrient-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, eggs and avocados.

‘We know these foods are related to other health benefits, but these data indicate that there may be cognitive benefits as well.

‘In this study we focused on attention, but we also would like to understand the effects of lutein on learning and memory. There’s a lot we are very curious about.’