What you drink matters for your brain, too. Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, shares six beverages worth adding to your routine for memory and cognitive support.
1. Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, including catechins and L-theanine, which help protect the brain and support cognitive function.
2. Coffee
Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, an effect attributed partly to caffeine and partly to the neuroprotective properties of chlorogenic acid. (Specific risk-reduction figures vary by study — this post will be updated with Dr. Shintani’s preferred source once confirmed.)
3. Beet Juice
Beet juice is known to raise nitric oxide levels in the body, which helps improve blood circulation to the brain.
4. Turmeric Tea with Black Pepper
This combination provides powerful anti-inflammatory protection for the brain — black pepper helps the body absorb turmeric’s active compound, curcumin.
5. Kombucha
As a probiotic beverage, kombucha helps preserve the gut flora responsible for producing neurotransmitters that support brain function.
6. Hibiscus Tea
Recent research has found that hibiscus tea contains gossypetin, a compound shown (in animal studies) to stimulate microglia — the brain’s cleanup cells — to help clear beta-amyloid protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. While promising, this research is still in early stages.
The takeaway
From antioxidant-rich teas to circulation-boosting beet juice, these beverages offer simple, daily ways to support brain health. For more tips on health and longevity, get Dr. Shintani’s free eBook, Health Secrets, at peacediet.org.
Sources: Gossypetin and amyloid-beta clearance study; NLM Native Voices; additional coffee/Alzheimer’s citation pending confirmation.