Munching on veggies can lower your risk of cognitive decline by more than 30%, researchers find

( Natural News ) Recent research provides another reason why eating vegetables is good for you. A study published in the journal Neurology reports that men who eat plenty of vegetables have a more than 30 percent lower risk of cognitive decline later in life. For the study, researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health aimed to determine the effect of long-term intake of fruits and vegetables on cognitive health later in life. To arrive at a conclusion, the Harvard researchers followed nearly 28,000 men for two decades starting from when they were 51 years old, on average. The participants answered questionnaires about their intake of fruits, vegetables, and other foods every four years. When they were 73 years old, on average, the participants also answered questionnaires that measured their memory and reasoning skills. This was done so that the researchers could evaluate the effect of eating habits in middle age on cognitive function later in life. The tests included questions about whether the men had difficulty remembering things, following instructions or keeping track of plots on television shows, and whether they got lost on familiar streets. The researchers grouped the participants into five, according to their fruit and vegetable intake. The group with the most vegetable intake ate nearly six servings each day, while the group with the least intake ate about two servings per day. For fruits, the group with the highest intake consumed about three servings per day, while the group with the lowest ate half a serving daily. The results showed that men who had regularly consumed the most vegetables over two decades had a 17 percent lower chance of having moderate cognitive deficits and 34 percent lower risk of having more extensive cognitive problems when they were in their late 70s, compared […]

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