A 2023 article in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture says that gut bacteria change flavonoids into metabolites to improve cognitive health. Flavonoids also balance the health of your gut bacteria to reduce cognitive decline. Citrus fruits such as lemon, bitter orange, and mandarin also have flavonoids that can protect your brain, according to a 2022 article in Nutrients. Specifically, hesperidin and hesperetin can protect the brain from forming amyloid plaques, often tied to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These flavonoids also work as antioxidants and can reduce the degeneration of brain cells.

According to a 2022 article in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, foods with flavonoids, specifically cocoa, ginkgo, and berries, can improve brain performance such as memory, processing speed, and mood. The study found that flavonoids mostly benefited middle-aged and older adults. You don’t even have to eat these foods throughout your lifetime to boost your brain health. You could see an improvement in your cognitive health in as little as six weeks.