By Kate Bratskeir / Source: HuffPost

spinach

While Popeye ate spinach everyday to maintain strong muscles, he was also bettering his memory, maybe without even knowing it.

Consuming just a daily serving of spinach — or any type of leafy green, for that matter — may help slow the process of age-associated cognitive decline, according to a new study. The reason? Vitamin K.

spinach2

A group of researchers at Rush University in Chicago who analyzed the diets and mental functions of 954 elderly people over a five year period found that those who incorporated more green in their diets were more likely to be mentally sharp.

The researchers tracked the diets of participants, whose age averaged 81, for an average of five years. They found that people who ate one or two daily portions of green leafy vegetables had the same cognitive abilities as someone 11 years younger who never consumed leafy greens.

spinach3

spinach4

spinach5

Read more @ HuffPost