Turmeric, the bright orange spice used in many favourite curry dishes, has been linked to improvements in mood, memory and age-related memory loss. Researchers at the University of California found people aged 50 to 90 with mild age-related memory loss who took a supplement of curcumin (a chemical in turmeric) experienced significant improvements in their memories and attention abilities, while the subjects given a placebo did not. Those taking 90mg curcumin twice a day over 18 months saw a 28% improvement in their memory, displayed mild improvements in mood and their brain PET scans showed significantly fewer protein plaques associated with Alzheimer’s compared with those taking a placebo. One theory is that it reduces inflammation in the brain, which has been associated with both Alzheimer’s and depression.