Better brain health starts with you. Our six pillars of brain health show food and nutrition have an important impact on the future health of your brain. Why? Because as you age, your brain becomes exposed to oxidative stress – when damaging free radicals outnumber the body’s defenses causing damage to blood vessels. By eating foods high in antioxidants, like the yellow spice turmeric, and healthy fats like olive oil (most commonly found in the Mediterranean diet) you potentially have the power to prevent oxidative stress, boost brain health, and improve your overall health. Read on for one of our healthy brains recipes.
Cauliflower Gold Recipe by Jim Perko and Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle Medicine Program
Ingredients:
- 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala (an Indian spice blend containing black pepper, cinnamon, red chili, cumin, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup toasted and ground almonds
Preparation:
- Lightly brown cauliflower in frying pan with olive oil. Stir frequently (15 to 20 minutes).
- Remove cauliflower from frying pan.
- Add all spices to hot pan. Toast for about 30 seconds.
- Add vegetable stock to prevent burning spices.
- Add tomato paste and mix all ingredients well.
- Add back in cauliflower to frying pan.
- Saute for two minutes. Add ground almonds, mix, and serve.
Yields 8 servings
Half a cup of this brain healthy dish contains:
- 132 calories
- 3.4g of protein
- 8.6g of total carbohydrates
- 3g of fiber
- 0mg cholesterol
- 10.1g total fat
- 221mg of sodium
Want to begin a Mediterranean-style diet? Start by eating more fish like salmon, cod, tuna and halibut, limit your red meat consumption, and consuming plenty of leafy greens and a variety of other vegetables. Healthy fats found in olives, nuts, and olive oil help keep you gratified and your brain healthier. Fruits like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are loaded with antioxidants, but make sure you have a variety of other fruits, too. Spice it up with turmeric, saffron, garlic and cinnamon. Collectively, the Mediterranean diet has been shown through research to maintain brain health as we age, staving off diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Learn more about our tips for incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your lifestyle.
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