FOODS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN

Foods high in compounds such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can improve brain health and memory, experts say. From fruit to fish, here are six things that, based on various studies, which may perk up your gray matter.

FISH

Although recent research has shown that taking fish oil supplements may not help slow the cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's disease, other studies have shown that eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help slow typical cognitive decline that comes with age.A 2005 study in the journal Archives of Neurology found that people 65 and older who ate two meals of fish a week for six years had a 13 percent decrease in cognitive decline, compared with people who didn't eat any fish regularly. And people who ate one meal of fish a week had a 10 percent decrease in cognitive decline.Fish high in vitamin B12 may also help protect against Alzheimer's , according to a study published in 2010 in the journal Neurology.

COFFEE AND TEA

Coffee and tea do more than keep you awake in the mornings studies have shown they may prevent Alzheimer's disease and improve cognitive function.Tea showed protective effects on the brain, too since tea drinkers did better on tests on memory and information processing than non-tea drinkers, as reported in a 2010 study of 716 Chinese adults 55 and older in the Journal of Nutrition,Health and Aging.

SPINACH

The green leafy vegetable is loaded with vitamins C and E, which, studies have shown, help to improve cognitive abilities.

WALNUTS

Walnuts contain high amounts of antioxidants, which some researchers say may combat the damage to brain cells' DNA caused by free radicals in our bodies.Indeed, a 2009 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that diets in which nuts made up as little as 2 percent reversed signs of aging in the brains of old rats, including the ability of the brain to function and process information.

CARROTS

Carrots have long been known to be good for the eyes and it turns out, they're good for the brain, too.Carrots have high levels of a compound called luteolin , which could reduce age-related memory deficits and inflammation in the brain.Olive oil, peppers and celery are also high in luteolin.

BERRIES

Adding some vitamin-rich berries to your diet may not be a bad idea if you want to improve your memory, according to several studies.One study, published in 2010 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that after 12 weeks of daily supplements of wild blueberry juice, nine older adults who had started to experience slight memory problems showed better learning and recall abilities than a similar group of adults who didn't take the supplements. The blueberry group also showed reduced symptoms of depression.

And in a 2009 report in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers said they examined a group of studies that showed fruits such as blueberries and strawberries, which are high in antioxidants, can decrease a type of stress in cells associated with aging and increase the signaling capabilities in brains.