Here is a list of some foods that can delay the process of ageing.
1. Soya (Glycine Max):
Dietary supplement with fermented soy skim milk can attenuate ageing-induced bone loss in BALB/c mice and possibly lower the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis in ageing. The beneficial effect may be due to isoflavones as well as higher amounts of polysaccharide and peptide in freeze-dried powder of soy skim milk fermented by Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei NTU 101F milk. Dietary consumption of isoflavones in rats controlled body weight. Blake et al. (2011) demonstrated that isoflavonoid molecules modulate the brain’s influence on behavior.
2. Sesame Seeds (Sesamum Indicum):
The anti-ageing effect of sesame was elucidated to be due to the strong vitamin E activity resulting from a novel synergistic effect of sesame lignans with tocopherols. The specific inhibitory action of sesame lignans on Delta5 desaturase in polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis was reported in studies on the microbial production of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Activities of sesame seed lignans include inter alias modulation of fatty acid metabolism, inhibition of cholesterol absorption and biosynthesis, anti-oxidant and vitamin E-sparing effects, hypotensive effects, improvement of liver functions in connection with alcohol metabolism, and anti-ageing effects.
3. Walnut (Juglans Regia):
Aged rats show decrements in performance on motor and cognitive tasks that require the use of spatial learning and memory. Two per cent walnut diet improved performance on rod walking, while the 6 per cent walnut diet improved performance on the medium plank walk. Both the walnut diets improved working memory in the Morris water maze. Thus, Willis et al. (2009 b) showed that moderate dietary walnut supplementation can improve cognitive and motor performance in aged rats.
Joseph et al. (2009 b) showed that walnut supplementation in the old rats had similar effects on cognitive function as those seen with berry fruit. J. regia had good anti-glycation ability, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of 28 micro g/mL and inhibited the Maillard reaction and prevented oxidation in vitro. Hence, the extracts of these plants could have therapeutic uses in curbing chronic diabetic complications and slowing down ageing.
4. Olive Oil:
Four decades ago, researchers from the Seven Countries Study concluded that the mono-unsaturated fats in olive oil were largely responsible for the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete. Now it is known that olive oil also contains polyphenols, powerful anti-oxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.
Several lines of evidence point to olive oil and the olive oil-centered Mediterranean diet as conducive to longevity. Loued et al. (2013) observed consumption of extra-virgin olive oil to increase the anti-inflammatory effect of high density lipoprotein and to reduce the age-related decrease in anti-atherogenic activity. Although olive oil phenols cannot reverse the detrimental effects of a prolonged intake of high amounts of fat, improving the quality of olive oil in terms of anti-oxidant content can be beneficial.
Ageing can be viewed as a quasi-programmed phenomenon driven by the over- activation of the nutrient-sensing mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) gerogene. mTOR-driven ageing can be triggered or accelerated by a decline or loss of responsiveness to activation of the energy-sensing protein 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a critical gerosuppressor of mTOR.
Extra virgin olive oil secoiridoids constitute a new family of plant-produced gerosuppressant agents similar to resveratrol that molecularly “repair” the aimless (and harmful) AMPK/mTOR-driven quasi-program that leads to ageing and ageing- related diseases, including cancer.
An interesting finding by Pitozzi et al. (2010) was a reduced step-through latency in the light-dark box test, found in the older animals upon treatment with the oil rich in anti-oxidant phenols, possibly indicating an anxiety-lowering effect. This effect was associated with decreased glutathione reductase activity and expression in the brain, a phenomenon previously associated with decreased anxiety in rodents.
Later, in 2012, Pitozzi et al., reported that the treatment with olive oil phenols improved contextual memory in the step-down test to levels similar to young animals and prevented the age-related impairment in motor coordination in the rotarod test. This motor effect was correlated with reduced lipid peroxidation in the cerebellum (p<0.05), whereas the memory effect did not correlate with oxidation or inflammation parameters.
Thus, natural polyphenols contained in extra-virgin olive oil can improve some age-related dysfunctions by differentially affecting different brain areas. Such a modulation can be obtained with an olive oil possessing sufficiently high content of polyphenols as seen in Mediterranean area.
5. Fish:
Seafood is the only class of food that provides major fractions of DHA, vitamins B12 and D, iodine and selenium. Fish consumption was found to result in significantly less cognitive decline compared to the non-consumers with a linear trend between the intake of EPA+DHA and cognitive decline. An average difference of approximately 380 mg/d in EPA+DHA intake was associated with a 1.1-point difference in cognitive decline. Low seafood intake due to socio-economic positions or life styles, would benefit greatly from an increased intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid as a supplement.
6. Amla (Phyllanthus Emblica/Emblica Officinalis/Phyllanthus Niruri):
Amla significantly reduced thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels of serum, renal homogenate, and mitochondria in aged rats, suggesting that amla would ameliorate oxidative stress resulting due to the process of ageing. Yokozawa et al. (2007a) observed that amla may prevent age-related hyper-lipidemia through attenuating oxidative stress in the ageing process.
Again, Yokozawa et al. (2007b) found amla extract to reduce the elevated levels of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen in the aged rats. Amla extract has no pro-oxidation activity induced by iron and/or copper because of its iron and copper chelating ability. According to Chaudhuri (2002) amla helps protect the skin from the dam-ageing effects of free radicals, non-radicals and transition metal-induced oxidative stress. It is thus suitable for use in anti-ageing, sunscreen and general purpose skin care products.
7. Berries:
Berries are rich sources of a wide variety of anti-oxidant phenolic and the phytochemicals including flavonoids, stilbenes, tannins, and phenolic acids, which are powerful anti-oxidants and help to protect the body against damage caused by free radicals and ageing. The isolation and characterization of compounds that may delay the onset of ageing is receiving intense research attention.
Some berry phenolic are being associated with this functional performance. Higher intake of flavonoids, particularly from berries, appears to reduce rates of cognitive decline in older adults. Additionally, greater intakes of anthocyanidins and total flavonoids were associated with slower rates of cognitive decline (p-trends = 0.015 and 0.053, respectively, for the global score).
According to Andres-Lacueva et al. (2005) polyphenolic compounds are able to cross the blood brain barrier and localize in various brain regions important for learning and memory. A relationship between Morris water maze performance in blue berry supplemented rats and the total number of anthocyanin compounds found in the cortex suggest that these compounds may deliver their anti-oxidant and signaling modifying capabilities centrally.
According to Joseph et al (2007) and Lau et al (2007) polyphenols found in blue berries may exert their beneficial effects by altering stress signaling and neuronal communication.
A considerable degree of age-related object memory decline can be prevented and reversed by brief maintenance on blueberry diets. So far, strawberry, concord grape juice, black berry, or walnut supplementations have been shown to be effective in reversing motor behavioral deficits. Additionally, it also appears that blue berry (BB) supplementation may inactivate stress signals and increase protective signals, because aged male rats fed a BB-supplemented diet had reduced age-induced increases in NFκB expression in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and the striatum compared with those of aged un-supplemented controls.
Blueberry supplementation may protect against neuro-degeneration and cognitive impairment mediated by excite-toxicity and oxidative stresses. Blueberry polyphenols were able to augment the increased IGF-1 expression and attenuate learning impairments following neuro-toxic insult and exert anti-inflammatory actions, perhaps via alteration of gene expression.
Shukitt-Hale et al. (2008b) opined that the beneficial effects of blue berries must be through their ability to lower oxidative stress and inflammation, calcium buffering ability, neuro-protective stress shock proteins and plasticity.
Besides, the beneficial effects of the berry fruit may involve 4 factors:
(1) Increase in the activation of protein pathways involved in cognitive function,
(2) Free radical scavenging,
(3) Activation of protective signals, and
(4) Inhibition of stress signals.
Straw berries and blue berries and most recently, blackberries also enhanced cognitive and motor behavior in aged rats on long term supplementation. Joseph et al. (2009) reported similar findings when they supplemented the berries for long term (from 6 to 15 m of age; F344 rats) (BB or strawberry extract at 2 per cent of the diet). They retarded age-related decrements in cognitive or neuronal function. The supplemented diets prevented the onset of age-related deficits in several indices (e.g. Morris water maze performance).
Transplantation of central nervous tissue has been proposed as a therapeutic intervention for age-related neuro-degenerative diseases and stroke. However, survival of embryonic neuronal cells is hampered by detrimental factors in the aged host brain such as circulating inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.
Previously, Willis et al (2005) reported that supplementation with 2 per cent Blueberry in the diet increases graft growth and neuronal survival in intraocular hippocampal grafts to aged hosts. Recently, Willis et al (2010) demonstrated direct effects of Blueberry upon microglial activation both during isolated conditions and in the aged host brain and suggest that this nutraceutical can attenuate age-induced inflammation. Blue berry treatment increased survival during acute heat stress, but was not protective against acute oxidative stress. The blue berry extract consists of three major fractions that all contain anti-oxidant activity. However, only one fraction, enriched in proanthocyanidin compounds, increased C. elegans lifespan and thermo-tolerance.
8. Wolf Berries (Lycium Barbarum):
Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP), extracts from the wolfberries, a Chinese anti-ageing medicine have been established for their antioxidant potency. LBP showed neuro-protective function in the retina when given prophylactically. LBP treatment for 1 week effectively protected the retina from neuronal death, apoptosis, glial cell activation, aquaporin water channel up- regulation, disruption of blood-retinal barrier and oxidative stress thus LBP may have a neuro-protective role to play in ocular diseases for which retinal ischemia/reperfusion is a feature.
A new arabinogalactan-protein (LBP-III) isolated from LBP attenuated A beta peptide-activated caspase-3-like activity. LBP-III markedly reduced the phosphorylation of PKR triggered by A beta peptide. Since the phosphorylation state of PKR increased with age, reduction of its phosphorylation triggered by A beta peptide may implicate that LBP-III from Lycium barbarum is a potential neuro-protective agent in AD opening a window for the development of a neuro-protective agent for anti-ageing from Chinese medicine. Chang and So (2008) have accumulated scientific evidence for its anti-ageing effects of Wolf Berries that should be utilized in modern preventive medicine.
9. Concord Grape Juice:
Rats that drank the 10 per cent grape juice from age 19 to 21 months had improvements in oxotremorine enhancement of K+-evoked release of dopamine from striatal slices and in cognitive performance on the Morris water maze, and the 50 per cent grape juice produced improvements in motor function.
Interestingly, a preliminary investigation conducted by Krikorian et al. (2008) on the cognitive benefits of grape juice in aged humans has shown that older adults with memory declines, but not dementia, had significant improvements in several measures of cognitive function when supplemented with Concord grape juice for 12 wk as compared to the placebo.
Collaborative findings indicate that blue berry or Concord grape juice supplementation in humans with mild cognitive impairment increased verbal memory performance, thus translating the animal findings to humans. Concord grapes thus may increase “health span” and enhance cognitive and motor function in ageing.
10. Apple (Malus Domestica/Malus Communis/Malus Pumila):
“An apple a day prevents Parkinson’s disease.” – Kukull
Tchantchou et al. (2005) demonstrated that consumption of anti-oxidant-rich foods such as apples prevent the decline in cognitive performance that accompanies normal ageing. Plant-derived polyphenols, which are found in commonly consumed food plants such as tea, cocoa, blueberry and grape, have been proposed to have many health benefits, including slowing ageing. In vivo studies have demonstrated the lifespan-extending ability of polyphenol-containing plants (tea, blue berry, cocoa, apple, and pomegranate).
These and multiple other plant polyphenols have been shown to have beneficial effects on ageing-associated changes across a variety of organisms from worm and fly through rodent and human. Phloridzin, an apple polyphenol notably increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and SIRT1 suggesting that SOD and SIR2 have important roles in phloridzin-regulated lifespan extension of yeast, and potentially anti-ageing effects for mammalian cells via SIRT1.
11. Plums (Prunus Salicina/Prunus Domestica):
Rats from 19 to 21 mo of age fed plum juice had improved working memory in the Morris water maze, whereas rats fed dried plum powder were not different from the control group, possibly due to the smaller quantity of phenolics consumed in the powder group compared with the juice group.
12. Ash Gourd (Benincasa Hispida):
Ash gourd, belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, is employed as a main ingredient in kusmanda lehyam, which is used in numerous nervous disorders in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The major constituents of this fruit are triterpenoids, flavanoids, glycosides, saccharides, carotenes, vitamins, β sitosterin and uronic acid.
The in vitro evaluation of a topical cream containing the extract of ash gourd showed skin renewal activity and thus the Benincasa fruit extract may prove as an anti-ageing preparation that can be used for retarding the symptoms of ageing.
Mandal et al. (2009; 2010) reported that B. hispida T. has anti-hypochlorhydric activity that prevents the experimental hypochlorhydria and age-induced hypochlorhydria in rat. Pre-administration followed by co-administration of aqueous extract of B. hispida (ABH) resulted in significant correction of ranitidine-induced hypochlorhydria in rat.
This aqueous extract-treated group showed significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of vitamin C, pepsin, and chloride concentration in gastric juice as well as the antioxidant status in respect to other extract-treated groups. Thus Mandal et al. (2012) concluded that aqueous extract of ash gourd has a very effective anti-hypochlorhydric and anti-oxidative property.
13. Rice:
Rice [Oryza sativa L. (Gramineae)] bran is a rich source of phytochemicals. Its oil also contains several bioactive components that exhibit anti-oxidative properties such as ferulic acid (F), γ-oryzanol (O), and phytic acid (P) which can be a new source of cosmetic raw materials. The formulations containing noisome entrapped with the rice bran bioactive compounds gave superior clinical anti-ageing activity which can be applied as a novel skin product.
14. Yogurt:
In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was reported to have more centenarians per capita than any other country claiming that the secret of their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous in their diets. Matsumoto et al. (2011) demonstrated increased longevity in mice following probiotic (yogurt) treatment, possibly due to the suppression of chronic low-grade inflammation in the colon induced by higher intestinal luminal polyamine levels and decreased levels of acute inflammation markers in hospitalized elderly patients.
While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt being rich in calcium and good bacteria, helps stave off osteoporosis and maintain gut health, and also diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness.