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You can't eat cheeseburgers at 3 a.m four weekends in a row without your jeans crying out for mercy. You'd rather binge watch Netflix than hit the club. Pulling an all-nighter entails staying up until 1 a.m and then falling into a deep sleep under the soft glow of your laptop screen. Goodbye sweet youth—this is what it feels like to be old.
You don't qualify for senior citizen breakfast and you still get carded, but you're definitely not in high school anymore. The best part of growing up? The slow betrayal your body and mind begin to wage against you. Suddenly you have no idea where you put your keys even though you tossed them on the table 30 seconds ago. Don't worry, it's not early on-set anything, just your brain slowing down a bit as you age. Here are 25 foods that fight memory loss. Don't let your brain win.
Beans
USDA research shows that beans have a nutrient specific to the vitamin B family that enhance memory.
24. Red Cabbage
Cabbage is a brain power food that improves general brain function including the memory center of your brain.
Broccoli
A 25 year long Harvard study proved that diets high in vegetables like broccoli are linked to lower levels of memory less with advanced age.
Spinach
Popeye wasn't playing games. Spinach not only delays dementia but also delays affects of aging and prevents unwanted tumor growth in the body.
Sunflower Seeds
Tryptophan, the chemical that boosts serotonin and therefore happiness in your brain, is found in sunflower seeds. Studies show the chemical also improves memory function.
Beets
Beets promote blood flow around the area of the brain responsible for memory, which helps to fight dementia.
Apples
Apples have antioxidants that protect brain cells and prevent memory loss.
Grapes
The nutrients in grapes help slow memory loss by protecting brain cells.
Olive Oil
The Mediterranean diet, heavy in olive oil, has been proven to promote brain health which improves and promotes memory function.
Tomatoes
Research links lycopene, a nutrient in tomatoes, with the prevention of dementia and other memory issues.
Whole Grain Cereal
Re-up on your bran flakes because they're rich in folic acid, which helps your brain prevent memory loss.
Shrimp
Drake's favorite meal is another food with high vitamin B levels promoting "brain energy" and memory formation and function.
Turkey
Lean meat is high in vitamin B which promotes brain cell production in the brain. Increased cell production leads to a rise in function and memory formation.
Pumpkin Seeds
The oil in pumpkin seeds is rich in zinc which promotes new memory formations in the brain.
Rosemary
Just a whiff of rosemary can make it easier to remember things. In a study done by the University of Northumbria, participants in a rosemary-scented room perfomed memory tasks better than those who were in rooms with no scent.
Avocado
Avocados are all-around good for your brain. They protect against brain damage, lower risk of strokes, and, yes, help improve memory. Because avocados are a high source of omega 3s, they promote blood production in the brain, which improves function. Main takeaway: load up on that guac on your burrito; there's a chance it will helps you remember important things.
Orange Juice
Folic acid, which can be found in OJ, has been proven to both fight memory loss and improve brain function.
Dark Chocolate
Flavanoids, a group of compounds in foods (and not a ratchet girl group) are present in dark chocolate and have been linked to improving memory.
Strawberries
People who ate multiple servings a week saw a decline in poor memory. Find a way to eat more of these, stat.
Whole Eggs
Choline, a B vitamin nutrient, is a key component in eggs that lowers the chances of dementia later in life. Boston University researchers found a link between diets heavy in choline and higher scores on memory tests.
Coffee
A Science Journal study found coffee improved memory in bees. While it hasn't yet been proved in humans, there's no harm in trying it out.
Fish
Fish have long been known as a brain food, as studies show connections between fish-heavy diets and having a lower chance of suffering from memory diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's.
Blueberries
Harvard University researchers (so you know it's legit) found blueberries to be key food in fighting "cognitive decline and memory loss" typically associated with old age.
Green Tea
Brew it up, brew it up. Studies that concentrated on a chemical specific to green tea showed a significant memory improvement in those exposed to the chemical compared to those who weren't.