A neurosurgeon’s hearty recipe fights dementia and brain disease

Here is a recipe to nourish your brain.

For Dr. Jonathan J. Rasouli, board-certified spine neurosurgeon at Northwell Health, keeping your mind sharp doesn’t just happen in the operating room, it can also happen in your kitchen.

The doctor shared one of his favorite dishes for preventing brain disease with anti-inflammatory ingredients, and he promises it’s also great for easy meal prep.

Her lentil curry sprinkled with spinach and turmeric is made with many things that have been shown to benefit the brain.

“This stew contains turmeric, known for its potential to prevent dementia, as well as spinach and lentils which support overall brain health,” Rasouli told the Post. Plus, he added, it’s easy to make and “super tasty.”

“Have a big portion on a Sunday afternoon and make it last all week as a snack or quick meal,” he said.

Lentil stew with curry, spinach and turmeric

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried red lentils (vegetable fiber and protein)
• 2 cups spinach (rich in folate and vitamin K)
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder (anti-inflammatory properties)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 3 cups of vegetable broth

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook for another minute.
3. Stir in the lentils and stock, then simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.
4. Add the spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve with a squeeze of lemon for added brightness.

Benefits for the brain

This lentil stew will not only spice up your winter, it will also stimulate your thinking.

“It’s hearty, warming, and packed with nutrients that protect against oxidative stress and inflammation, which are major contributors to neurodegenerative diseases,” Rasouli said.

One of these key nutrients: turmeric, particularly its active compound curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. A 2018 study found that daily curcumin supplements improved memory, attention and mood in older adults by reducing buildup in the brain – two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Curcumin also stimulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein vital for memory, learning and mood regulation. Low levels of BDNF have been linked to conditions such as depression and dementia.

Several other stew ingredients support overall brain health:

Spinach is packed with nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, and beta-carotene, which protect brain cells from damage and help prevent cognitive decline.

Garlic, widely considered a superfood, contains sulfur compounds that research shows protect the brain from disease and aging.

Olive oil helps reduce brain inflammation, a known cause of cognitive decline.

And lentils also boost the brain: Just one cup gives you 90 percent of your recommended daily intake of folate, a vitamin that helps produce neurotransmitters that regulate your mood and mental clarity. Tiny legumes also provide a constant supply of glucose, which fuels brain cells.

If you’re hungry for brain food, Rasouli has previously shared her Mediterranean quinoa bowl and her mother’s famous recipe for Ghormeh Sabzi, a Persian herb stew.