Eating a diet enriched with luteolin may help stave off symptoms that can lead to cognitive complications, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.

This is because the nutrient removes toxins from the body that can lead to inflammation of the brain, which speeds up developing memory problems. Foods that produce this nutrient include carrots, celery, chamomile, olive oil, peppermint, peppers and rosemary.

During a one-month study, mice, which were aged 3-to-6 months and 2 years, were fed a luteolin-enriched diet. The team then measured the animals’ memory function and monitored inflammatory molecules in their brains.

When the older mice consumed the luteolin diet, “it reduced inflammation in the brain and at the same time restored working memory to what was seen in young cohorts,” said Rodney Johnson, lead author of the study. He concluded that “a healthy diet has the potential to reduce age-associated inflammation in the brain, which can result in better cognitive health.”

Blueberries, the highest fruit source of antioxidants, can also remove toxins from the body that can cause memory problems.