Want to Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s? Eat More of This Plant-Based Nutrient

When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s, you’ve probably heard the usual advice: exercise, sleep well, and eat your greens. But here’s something new and exciting you can actually act on today:

Plant-based nitrates — the kind found in leafy greens and beets — might help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease.

What the New Research Says

A brand-new study (Rajendra A, et.al., 2025) from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study looked at over 550 adults who were still mentally sharp. Researchers tracked what they ate (specifically how much dietary nitrate they consumed), scanned their brains with PET and MRI, and followed them for over 10 years.

The Big Find: Nitrates = Brain Protection

In women who carry the APOE ε4 gene — the biggest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s — a higher intake of plant-sourced nitrate (about 121 mg/day) was linked to:

  • 50% slower buildup of harmful beta-amyloid plaques in the brain
  • Less shrinkage of the hippocampus (your memory center)

And even moderate intake showed protective effects in both men and women, whether they had the gene or not.

Where to Get Your Nitrates?

No, we’re not talking about the bad nitrates in processed meats. We’re talking about the natural kind from plants, like:

  • Spinach
  • Arugula
  • Beets
  • Lettuce
  • Celery

These foods convert to nitric oxide in your body — a molecule that improves blood flow and keeps your brain young and oxygenated.

Final Word

While this doesn’t prove plant nitrates prevent Alzheimer’s, it’s a strong sign they’re part of the brain-health equation — especially for those at higher risk.

Action Step:

Want to boost brain health long-term? Add a serving of leafy greens or beets to your plate every single day.

Think of it as brain insurance — and it tastes better than a pill.

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Reference

Rajendra A, Bondonno NP, Murray K, Zhong L, Rainey-Smith SR, Gardener SL, Blekkenhorst LC, Doré V, Villemagne VL, Laws SM, Brown BM, Taddei K, Masters CL, Rowe CC, Martins RN, Hodgson JM, Bondonno CP; AIBL Research Group. Baseline habitual dietary nitrate intake and Alzheimer's Disease related neuroimaging biomarkers in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study of ageing. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Apr 11:100161. doi: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100161. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40221237.

  • Category: News
  • Author: Didrik Sopler, Ph.D., L.Ac.
  • Published: 2025-06-08
  • Comments: 0
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