8 nutrients to keep your brain in 'good shape'

Here are some steps you can take to protect your brain from the ravages of age.

In a report published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about eight nutrients that may help protect your ageing brain:

1. Cocoa flavanols: may improve the function of a specific part of the brain called the dentate gyrus, which is associated with age-related memory.

2. Omega-3 fatty acids: improves object recognition memory, spatial and localizatory memory, which can be consciously recalled such as facts and knowledge, and adverse response retention. Foods rich in omega-3s include salmon, flaxseed oil, and chia seeds.

3. Phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid: can help benefit memory, mood and cognitive function in the elderly.

4. Walnuts: may have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

5. Citicoline supplements: may help maintain normal cognitive function with ageing and protect the brain from free radical damage.

6. Choline: may support the brain during ageing and help prevent changes in brain chemistry that result in cognitive decline and failure. A major source of choline in the diet is eggs.

7. Magnesium: supplements are often recommended for those who experienced serious concussions. Magnesium-rich foods include avocado, soy beans, bananas and dark chocolate.

8. Blueberries: can offer neurocognitive benefits such as increased neural signalling in the brain centres.

The study appears in Food Technology.