Protein is the most essential component of a healthy well balanced diet.
So, you focus your entire meal around the protein source by cooking with ingredients that would complement the protein but are you sure if your chosen protein is the healthiest choice?
Not all protein sources are equal. There’s a high-quality protein source that can boost your cognition, but you are not getting enough of it.
The best source of protein for cognition
A 20-year Harvard study with 77,000 participants found that protein consumption lowered the risk of cognitive decline more than carbohydrates.
The researchers were able to conclude this easily as 5% of calories from animal protein decreased the risk of dementia by 11% as compared to carbohydrates.
But 5% calories from plant protein decreased the risk by 26%. Plant protein is twice as effective in preventing cognitive decline than animal protein.
So, you might want to reconsider your everyday protein source.
Why plant-based protein is the game changer
Legumes have always been a popular protein source in the blue zone diets. The Mediterranean (longevity)diet heavily promotes beans and legumes, at least four times a week.
All 5 blue zones, where people live the longest have a traditional dish made with the goodness of beans that they eat regularly.
The Sardinia Minestrone is made with fava beans and chickpeas that most people eat every day in Sardina, Italy.
The Ikirians of Greece enjoy their beans baked in a casserole. And the people from Nicoya, Costa Rica eat black beans with rice every day.
These Blue Zones have followed a diet rich in beans for centuries and as an effect, their inhabitants live longer than most people in the world.
So, add this longevity-boosting superfood to your diet today.
The sad truth amount the American diet
A study in the journal PLOS Medicine concluded that the addition of fruits, legumes, and beans in the diet of a 20-year-old woman can increase her life by 10 years and by 13 years for a 20-year-old man.
But two third of Americans are not getting even the half of daily recommended limit.
Americans only get 2% of protein from legumes whereas the Japanese get at least 10% protein from them.
The U.S.A holds the 8th rank in the top countries with the most Alzheimer's and dementia cases, so it’s high time that you take this plant protein seriously.
How you can add legumes to your diet
In India, legumes are stable in our diet. We eat it daily at least once a day. It’s an essential part of the diet for many vegetarians.
It’s affordable, versatile, and easy to cook. So, really it’s baffling that so many people don’t eat legumes.
Here are the easiest ways to add more legumes to your diet.
- Make smooth hummus that you can enjoy with snacks.
- Add pre-boiled beans to salads, omelets, and frittatas.
- Canned beans are your best bet when you feel too lazy to cook.
- Eat edamame right out of the pod. It’s a delicious healthy snack.
- Make a hearty legume soup with vegetables like the Sardinia Minestrone.
You can add legumes to your diet easily. But it takes some time to get used to legumes as they can be a little hard on the digestive system.
If you are a newbie then I recommend soaking the beans overnight before cooking as it makes them easy to digest.
So, don’t let these tiny pods intimidate you.
Conclusion
Legumes are a plant-based protein source that can improve your health by boosting your cardiovascular and cognitive health.
They are the number one food that you need to add to your diet right now to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.
It’s a fan favorite in all the five blue zones in the world. Most people in these parts of the world eat legumes daily.
So, don’t be afraid to shake up your diet by making legumes a necessity, because you need them direly for better brain health.
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