Common kitchen staple may sharpen your brain and it only takes 2 tablespoons
A couple of daily tablespoons of a common pantry staple often used to make pasta sauce richer were linked to better attention and processing speed, a small new study found.Researchers in Spain found that participants who ate about two tablespoons of tomato paste every day for three months scored slightly higher on tests of concentration, processing speed and associative memory than when they followed a diet low in lycopene, the red antioxidant pigment found in tomatoes and other fruits.Forty-two healthy adults ages 40 to 55 completed the study and spent three months on each diet with a one-month washout period in between.When they ate the low-lycopene diet, they stuck to their usual eating habits and avoided foods such as tomatoes.JUST ONE SMALL SERVING OF ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD A DAY LINKED TO HIGHER DISEASE RISK, MAJOR STUDY FINDSDuring the tomato paste phase, they consumed 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight each day, averaging about 35 grams daily.
Afterwards, participants scored an average of 7.2 points higher for concentration, 8.3 points higher for processing speed and 0.8 points higher on a test matching faces with names.A small study explored whether daily tomato paste consumption may affect attention, processing speed and other measures of brain function.(iStock)The trial used a randomized crossover design, meaning participants served as their own comparisons before and after eating the tomato paste.Their blood tests also showed a borderline increase in BDNF, a protein involved in brain-cell growth and adaptability, according to the research.CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWSBrain scans in a small subset of participants also showed changes in resting connectivity, which is how different brain regions work when a person is not focused on a specific task. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a naturally occurring red pigment with antioxidant properties.
(Hauke-Christian Dittrich/picture alliance via Getty Images)Researchers said the pattern could suggest more effic...