“Food for thought” isn’t just an expression; it’s the reality of how our bodies function. Our brain, like the rest of our body, needs good nourishment to function at peak capacity. Starve your brain of the kinds of nutrients and vitamins it needs and you’ll soon feel the consequences: foggy memory, slower cognition, a feeling of persistent dullness and fatigue. Feed your head with these powerful brain foods so your abilities to learn, retain information, recall memories, and think critically remain robust.
Eggs
It’s no coincidence that breakfast- the meal where you’re most likely to eat eggs- is considered the most important meal of the day. Eggs are dense with nutrients that fuel your body’s organs and internal processes. Eggs are a rich source of vitamins B6 and B12, choline, and folate. B vitamins support brain health and studies have found that being deficient in B vitamins can lead to depression and the build-up of certain types of amino acids that have been linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Choline is linked to neurotransmitters in the brain that help regulate memory and mood while a deficiency in folate has been noted as a symptom of mental decline in older adults.
Dark Chocolate
Good news for the chocoholics out there: a bit of your favorite sweet treat can go a long way in the brain department. Chocolate, when consumed in moderation, can have very positive effects on your cognition. This is due to the high concentration of flavonoids, antioxidants, and caffeine in cocoa. These different elements work together to improve brain blood flow, oxygen levels, and nerve function. Studies have found that eating chocolate can even cause a brief spike in memory retention and reaction time, though the effects wear off after a few hours.
One important thing to note is that if you want these brainy benefits you’ll need to spring for dark chocolate over milk chocolate. Eat chocolate with 70% or greater cocoa content to get all those flavonoids and antioxidants. An added benefit of dark chocolate is that it has “prebiotic” effects that can feed and bolster the gut bacteria in your microbiome.
Berries
Another reliable (and delicious) source of antioxidants are berries. Blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and goji berries are packed with anthocyanins, a type of plant compound that delivers antioxidants and also has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Antioxidants help work against inflammation and oxidative stress, which left untreated could lead to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to being good brain food, berries are also full of other vitamins and nutrients that make them an integral part of any balanced diet.
Fatty Fish
There are certain kinds of “fatty” fish that are great for your brain. These fatty fish include salmon, trout, sardines, herring, and albacore tuna. Fatty fish are a potent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is an important part of your brain functioning as these fats are used to build brain and nerve cells. Think of them as the fuel that helps keep the engines of memory and cognition running smoothly. While you can also get omega 3 through nuts, seeds, oysters, edamame, plant oils, and leafy green vegetables, fatty fish tend to have the highest concentrations of fatty acids.
Coffee and Green Tea
Do you need a little pick-me-up in the morning? The good news is that your cup of get-up-and-go is good for your brain! Both coffee and green tea contain caffeine and antioxidants which can make you more alert, improve your mood, sharpen your concentration, and (according to studies) could lead to a reduced risk of neurological diseases if you continue drinking them over a long period of time.
Article by Austin Brietta
Want more wellness tips? Check out these stories: