August 24, 2018
12 Foods That Will Improve Your Brain Health
The brain is always “switched on”. It takes care of body functions 24/7, even when you sleep. It makes sense that we should think about improving our brain health just as much as we think about improving other areas of our health. Your overall health has a direct link to the health of your brain. Strong physical and emotional health has been proven to decrease the likelihood of being diagnosed with a brain disorder, such as Alzheimer’s, later in life.
What you eat directly affects the function of your brain. Eating foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants help protect your brain from tissue damage. Oxidative stress occurs when the levels of antioxidants in our body are not high enough to counteract the damaging effects of free radicals. The field of nutritional psychiatry is growing fast. There is increasing evidence that depriving the brain of quality nutrition contributes to brain tissue damage and ultimately leads to impaired brain function.
Here are 12 foods that are not only beneficial to your overall health, but that are great for boosting brainpower:
Fermented Foods
Recent discoveries around the gut/brain connection have shown that a dysfunctional balance of bacteria in your gut can contribute to brain disorders such as anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, and chronic inflammation of the brain. Your gut is responsible for producing several neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA, which ultimately control your mood. Eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, miso and tempehhelp create a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria, which in turn helps your gut produce these critical neurotransmitters.
Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the highest antioxidant-rich foods meaning they help to protect against oxidative stress. Because of their high levels of gallic acid, blueberries are especially good at slowing the aging process of the brain.
Walnuts
Walnuts are the best nut for brain health. They have a significantly high concentration of the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA. DHA has been shown to prevent or slow down age-related cognitive decline. Omega-3s are also a strong anti-inflammatory. Chronic brain inflammation contributes to depression, anxiety, brain fog, and even serious degenerative disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Oily Fish
Like walnuts, oily fishes such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines are high in Omega 3 DHA. DHA makes up a large proportion of the fats in the brain, making DHA essential for healthy brain function. Avoid eating farm-raised fish and stick to eating wild caught to maximize nutritional benefits.
Broccoli and Dark Leafy Greens
Broccoli and leafy greens are full of choline and folate to help keep your memory sharp. They’re also rich in polyphenols and beta carotene, which are extremely powerful antioxidants that the brain needs to prevent oxidization.
Avocados
Avocados are high in monosaturated fats (the good kind!). Monosaturated fats aid in the production of acetylcholine, which helps with both memory and focus. Avocados are also high in tyrosine, which is the precursor to dopamine. Low dopamine levels can lead to a lack of motivation, fatigue, low libido, sleep problems, and memory loss.
Egg Yolks
Eggs are one of the richest sources of choline out there. Choline is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in memory and learning.Choline also helps maintain the structure of brain cell membranes.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is particularly high in natural antioxidants called polyphenols. The health benefits of olive oil are believed to be largely due to its high level of polyphenols. Researchers have identified polyphenols as a factor in delaying the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Coconut Oil
The main reason that coconut oil is considered a brain booster is its high concentration of MCTs (medium chain triglycerides).MCTs are found in human breast milk and they’re essential for developing brains. In a recent study, adults with mild cognitive impairment showed significant improvement in memory recall within 90 minutes of taking MCT oil.
Turmeric
Curcumin in the main compound in turmeric that provides brain-boosting benefits. First, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory. Reducing chronic inflammation is key to brain health. Second, curcumin is also a powerful anti-oxidant helping to slow age-related cognitive decline.
Nori
Sea vegetable are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Nori, in particular, is extremely high in iodine. Iodine is necessary for normal growth and development of the brain. Low iodine can be an underlying cause of hypothyroidism, which is a condition that can present as depression, fatigue, brain fog and poor memory. Nori is also packed with tyrosine, taurine and inositol – all showing benefits to improved brainpower.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate has a high concentration of flavonoids, which help with brain plasticity and extending the life of brain cells. Flavonoids stimulate blood flow, which helps improve attention span, memory, problem solving and reaction time. Make sure to eat chocolate containing a minimum of 70% cocoa to maximize its beneficial properties.
The above foods are highly accessible and are easy to incorporate into a healthy diet. Some will help with the repair process after cell damage, while others help to avoid cell damage in the first place. As mentioned above, the best way to improve brain health is by keeping your overall health in check. Make sure to get enough physical exercise, keep your brain sharp with increased mental activity, and keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in check.
