Dementia rates are set to almost triple in the coming decades, according to the World Health Organisation.
While this represents a startling prediction, you can minimise your risk of the mind-robbing condition with dietary tweaks.
What’s more, a neuroscientist has shared three desserts that “are great for your brain”.
Robert Love, a neuroscientist who specialises in helping people prevent Alzheimer’s disease with science, took to his TikTok channel to outline brain-healthy treats you can add to your weekly menu.
1. Dark chocolate
Don’t just take the expert’s word for it, as research found that dark chocolate can improve your memory and even support the growth of new brain cells.
Love recommended buying a bar that’s organic and fair-trade. He said: “You want to get fair-trade chocolate because you want to make sure that people who grow the chocolate are paid fairly. You want organic chocolate – just the higher quality. Make sure it’s dark – that way you will get more of the beneficial bioflavonoids [powerful plant compounds] from the chocolate.”
2. Blueberries
Blueberries not only go great with chocolate, but they are also “terrific for your brain”.
Love said: “They are rich in polyphenols – polyphenols are really good for your gut bacteria. What’s good for your gut is good for your brain.
“Blueberries are also low in sugar, so they are not going to spike your blood sugar.”
The neuroscientist recommended going for organic blueberries as they aren’t sprayed with pesticides. “[Pesticides] can be neurotoxic and be harmful to your brain and the rest of your body as well,” he added.
3. Black rice pudding
The last treat he recommended tucking into is a popular Asian dessert, known as black rice pudding.
Love said: “Black rice is really really healthy, delicious rice. It’s rich in polyphenols, similarly to coffee and blueberries. [And] it doesn’t spike your blood sugar like regular rice.”
The expert recommended sweetening it with a little maple syrup, stevia, or monk fruit sugar and cooking it down in coconut milk.
“You can even add some blueberries or walnuts to that to make it even healthier for your brain,” he added.
