**6.1 Green leafy vegetables**

Green leaves like kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are the sources of brainhealthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research recommends that these plant-based foods will slow down cognitive decline. Due to the neuroprotective actions of phylloquinone, lutein, nitrate, folate, α-tocopherol, and kaempferol, the intake of green leafy vegetables 1 serving per day aids to lessen the decline in cognitive abilities with older age. Further, the daily serving of green leafy vegetables in a regular diet is an economic and simple mode to improve and maintain brain health [23]. The nutrients in green leafy vegetables will have independent mechanisms of action that synergistically protect the brain. Serum carotenoid levels were related to less severe periventricular white matter lesions, predominantly in elderly smokers. Lutein reduces phospholipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes, to attenuate oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Folate inhibits tau phosphorylation, APP, PS1, and Aβ protein levels which triggers Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, to increase methylation potential and DNA methyltransferase activity.
