A study of nearly 1,000 older adults showed that daily consumption of green leafy vegetables may slow age-related cognitive decline.

Dr. Martha Clare Morris of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and her colleagues analyzed data from the volunteers’ self-reported eating habits and assessed their memory and thinking abilities annually for five years. They found that participants who consumed one to two portions of vegetables per day gained significant cognitive benefits compared to those who consumed the least amount of vegetables.

The daily serving sizes and green leafy vegetables included in the questionnaire were one-half cup of cooked spinach; one-half cup of cooked kale/collards/greens; and 1 cup of raw lettuce.

These vegetables are rich in vitamin K, lutein, folate, alpha-tocopherol, and other nutrients that slow cognitive decline in older adults.