Vegging Out

08/28/2025

I debunk the myth of protein as the most satiating macronutrient. The importance of satiety is underscored by a rare genetic condition known as

08/28/2025

Berries are packed with polyphenols, which have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Anthocyanidins, the natural blue-purple pigments in plants, are a type of polyphenol that can cross the blood-brain barrier and may provide neuroprotective effects.⁠

Our brain makes up less than about 2 percent of our body weight, but it may use up to 50 percent of our body’s fuel, creating a potential firestorm of free radicals. Might the phytonutrients in berries help fight oxidation, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow?⁠

⁠The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study followed 16,000 women for years and found that those eating more berries over the long term had significantly slower cognitive decline. In the study, higher consumption of blueberries and strawberries was associated with "delayed cognitive aging by as much as 2.5 years"—thought due to the anthocyanins.⁠

Performing a randomized cross-over study, researchers had participants drink a smoothie made with a variety of berries. Not only did the study subjects achieve a drop in LDL cholesterol during the berry intervention, but they performed better on short-term memory tests, too. Berries can benefit both the heart and the brain.

⁠When older adults added the equivalent of one cup of blueberries to their daily diet, researchers found improvements in their long-term memory and other aspects of cognition. In terms of the number of errors on the test, the placebo group did worse while the blueberry group did better.⁠
All these results suggest that eating just a handful of berries every day, an easy and delicious dietary tweak, may slow your brain’s aging by years.⁠

PMIDs: 22658645, 22535616, 22907211, 22535616, 29141041, 28283823, 28249119

08/28/2025

The evidence for big health benefits has never been clearer. Here’s how to get the right amount.

07/16/2025

Women with breast cancer should include the “liberal culinary use of cruciferous vegetables.” Both the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study and the

05/05/2025

How climate change can be raising arsenic levels in rice.

Climate change is increasing toxic arsenic in rice. Learn safety tips for plant-based eaters: cooking methods, low-arsenic varieties, and grain alternatives.

02/14/2025

Warm Up with These Heart-Healthy Soups - https://mailchi.mp/drmcdougall.com/warm-up-with-these-heart-healthy-soups

02/14/2025

02/14/2025

How does sorghum compare with other grains in terms of protein, antioxidants, and micronutrients? And the benefits of red sorghum compared to black and white varieties. https://buff.ly/4aNUn14

02/04/2025

Natural killer cells are one of the ways our body fights off cancer, and visiting a forest can induce a significant increase in both their numbers and

01/28/2025

Is there a unisex chart for optimal weight based on height? We seem to have become inured to the mortal threat of obesity. If you go back in the medical

01/07/2025

Is there a non-surgical alternative to knee replacement surgery that treats the cause and offers only beneficial side effects? The largest study in

01/07/2025

Sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass, is a concern for older adults as it is associated with frailty.