The same compounds that give plants and vegetables their vibrant colors might be able to bolster brain functioning in older adults, according to a recent study.
People get these compounds, known as carotenoids, from their diets, and two of them-lutein and zeaxanthin-have been shown in previous research to bolster eye and cognitive health in older adults. The new study also found people with higher levels of carotenoids were more “neurally efficient,” meaning they didn’t require s much brain activity to complete a task they were given.
