Your brain is one of the most hardworking organs in your body. It serves as a control center that coordinates with every single system in your body. Your brain is in charge of syncing all types of movement and chemical production necessary for you to survive, even as you sleep.
For all it does, it’s important for you to find ways to keep it working in peak condition. And while its functions are complicated, it really doesn’t take much to keep it healthy. If you want to improve your focus, concentration, and overall mental performance, a few tweaks in your diet can help a lot. Below are some of the best foods you can eat more often to boost your mental power.
Brain-Boosting Foods
Blueberries
If you need more reasons to eat blueberries aside from their flavor, then you’ll be delighted to know how good they are for your brain. According to a study conducted by the University of South Florida College of Medicine’s Center for Aging and Brain Repair, regular consumption of blueberries may help improve cognitive function. This was shown in a group of senior rats who were fed blueberries for eight weeks. Under the blueberry diet, the senior rats were able to perform as well as the younger rats when made to go through the same mazes.
This effect may be due to the high amounts of anthocyanins found in blueberries. These water-soluble substances, which are also responsible for giving blueberries their bluish purple color, are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These in turn can help minimize the effects of mental decline due to aging and prevent neurodegenerative diseases from developing.
Broccoli
This green cruciferous vegetable is loaded with various nutrients including vitamin K and antioxidants. A serving of broccoli provides more than your daily recommended intake of vitamin K. This is important to note since vitamin K is essential in the formation of sphingolipids. A major portion of the brain is composed of sphingolipids. And they are there to hold a myriad of functions. However, vitamin K is mostly associated with better memory as shown in a study conducted in Quebec, Canada.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate puts every other type of dessert to shame with all the benefits it provides to the human body. Each serving is packed with flavonoids that can further boost your memory and learning.
Our ability to recall information can be affected by lifestyle factors such as our diet. Stress can also contribute to the decline in our mental prowess. However, according to a study conducted by Hotchkiss Brain Institute, a specific type of flavonol found in dark chocolate is shown to help mitigate the negative effects of stress and poor diet when it comes to memory decline.
Eggs
Aside from being the go-to source for inexpensive protein, eggs can also provide you with a load of brain-boosting vitamins and minerals such as choline, folate, and vitamins B6 and B12. All these nutrients are essential in maintaining a healthy nervous system.
Choline, for instance, is an essential micronutrient that your body uses to produce an important neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter is known to play an important role in regulating your mood and memory. However, not everyone can get enough choline in their diets. If you’re one of those people, you can try supplementing with Purisure’s Choline Bitartrate Powder. It’s available in 1 kg and 250 gram packets for your convenience. If you follow a vegan diet, you can easily add a serving of the powder to your protein shakes and smoothie bowls.
Nuts
This list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of nuts. They are known to prevent neurodegenerative diseases from occurring. This is all thanks to the nutrients found in nuts. Practically all types of nuts contain high amounts of antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamin E. Vitamin E does a lot of good things for your body, including providing protection to your brain’s cell membranes from free radical damage. This helps slow down mental decline due to aging.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are fun to eat and it doesn’t hurt that they are also an excellent source of brain-boosting nutrients. They contain high amounts of copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc. All these nutrients work together to support neurological and cognitive functions.
Bottom Line
While incorporating these foods to your diet can do favors for your brain health, you still need to be conscious about your other lifestyle habits. Keep in mind that diet is only one factor to consider. To maintain a healthy body in general, you need to be mindful of all lifestyle choices you make on a daily basis as well.
References:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9969-introduction-the-human-brain/
https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/berries-for-brain-health
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-brain-foods#section4
https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-019-0965-z