Whole plant foods contain thousands of compounds with antioxidant properties,114 some of which can traverse the blood-brain barrier and may provide neuroprotective effects115 by defending against free radicals (see here)—that is, protecting against the “rusting” of the brain. Your brain is only about 2 percent of your body weight but may consume up to 50 percent of the oxygen you breathe, potentially releasing a firestorm of free radicals.116 Special antioxidant pigments in berries117 and dark-green leafies118 may make them the brain foods of the fruit and vegetable kingdom.
