The green Mediterranean diet that slows down ageing
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There are some days I amaze myself with what I achieve. And then there are days when I put my keys in the fridge. If this sounds horribly familiar and you, like me, are approaching midlife and wondering what you can do to protect your memory and brain health, you might benefit from trying the green Mediterranean diet.
Researchers at BGU University in Israel found that a tweaked version of the Mediterranean diet to include green tea and green smoothies could be even better at slowing brain ageing than the original one.
“This research points towards the value of plant chemicals, called polyphenols, in the diet,” explains Laura Clark, a dietitian. “These compounds, abundant in green vegetables, have anti-inflammatory properties and seem to be amongst the most potent for reducing our risk of brain degeneration as we age.”
While the trial involved drinking large volumes of green tea and green smoothies, consuming a variety of green vegetables will deliver similar health benefits.
Here are five of the best and some comforting ways to add more greens to your diet during the chilly, winter months.
Sautée kale for antioxidants that protect against cancer
Kale is packed with a type of antioxidants called flavonols, which help protect the cells from damage and reduce inflammation. It also contains plant compounds called glucosinolates, which are converted to sulforaphane in the gut, a compound known to have anti-cancer properties.
Kale can be tough to eat raw, so try it lightly sautéed. Add a little olive oil, a clove of finely grated garlic, and a shake of red pepper flakes to a heated frying pan. Add finely chopped kale and cook until just wilted. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and add a good grind of black pepper before serving.
Add leek to soups for gut healthy prebiotics
Leeks are a fabulous source of resistant starch, a type of prebiotic fibre that the gut can’t digest. It passes into the large intestine where it is fermented by the gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids. These play a crucial role in gut health and improve insulin sensitivity and cognitive function.
My favourite way to eat leeks is to put them in a soup, blended with other nutrient-packed green vegetables, such as watercress. Melt 1 tsp butter in a large saucepan, add a finely sliced leek and sauté for a few minutes. Add a peeled and diced potato and a bag of watercress and sauté for five more minutes before adding 500ml vegetable stock and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Season well, simmer for 20 minutes, then blend until smooth
Stir-fry savoy cabbage to up your fibre intake
Fibre usually conjures up images of bowls of cardboardy All Bran for breakfast, but there are much tastier ways to get a fibre fix (we need around 30g per day). Savoy cabbage contains 3g of fibre per 100g.
I love to stir-fry savoy cabbage with plenty of ginger, garlic and chilli to warm the cockles on a winter’s evening. In a large wok, heat 1 tbsp oil, add 2 finely grated cloves of garlic, 1 tsp of finely grated fresh ginger, and a deseeded and finely diced red chilli and stir-fry on a high heat for 1 minute. Add some shredded savoy cabbage and stir-fry for 3 more minutes until it just begins to wilt. Remove from the heat, and drizzle with sesame oil before serving.
Add green peas to salad for protein
We usually associate protein with a fat, juicy steak, but peas are one of the few green vegetables with a high protein content and, of course, no saturated animal fat. They contain around 5.5g of lean plant protein per 100g. Edamame beans and broad beans are also high in protein.
Make a warm green vegetable salad, perfect for winter, by blanching 200g each of peas, mangetout and green beans in boiling water for a few minutes to soften. Make a dressing with the juice of a lemon and an orange, ½ tsp cumin, 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Dress the vegetables and eat while still warm.
Stir Swiss chard into your grains for bone health
When it comes to keeping our bones strong, the importance of vitamin D and calcium is well documented, but most people don’t know that vitamin K works hand in hand with them to regulate the deposition of calcium in the bones. 100g of Swiss chard contains your whole recommended daily vitamin K intake.
To make a simple side dish, heat 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add sliced mushrooms and soften before adding a pouch of pre-cooked quinoa, some chopped chard and a handful of chopped green herbs (mint/parsley etc). Allow the leaves to wilt, then squeeze over some lemon juice and top with Parmesan shavings and plenty of black pepper.
