10 Best Foods For The Brain
When it comes to the brain “you are what you eat” can be taken literally.
To work, your brain needs necessary vitamins and minerals.
Learn what to eat and what not to eat to keep your brain in shape.
What negatively affects the brain?
Below are a few factors that have a negative impact on your brain.
Irregular meals
Your brain needs to be constantly pumped up with nutrients to work correctly. Long breaks between meals aren’t good for your nervous system, because the brain needs regular doses of glucose to work.
Excess salt in the diet
Excess salt retains water in your body and leads to increased blood pressure, which can lead to many serious consequences – including things related to the brain.
High salt intake has a negative effect on your nervous system – too much sodium disturbs brain oxygenation. This can lead to strokes and dementia.
The salt is best consumed in small amounts – according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, its consumption should not exceed 5 g / day. Where possible, I try to replace salt with fresh and dried herbs.
Excess simple carbohydrates in the diet
Our brain needs glucose to work, but it should be delivered mainly in the form of complex carbohydrates.
A diet rich in simple carbohydrates causes that in our body there are frequent fluctuations in blood sugar levels. And “if the level of glucose is constantly changing, then the emotional state of a human is also constantly fluctuating. When the glucose level is constant, the mind works more efficiently “- Thomas Campbell, a retired NASA physicist
10 Best Foods For The Brain
1. Green leafy vegetables: lettuce, spinach, broccoli, dill, kale. Chlorella and Spirulina
According to the researchers, “people eating at least one portion of green leafy vegetables a day have better memory, and longer enjoy the efficient functioning of the mind”. What’s more – green leafy vegetables are products rich in folic acid, which is necessary for the growth and division of all the cells of the body.
If you don’t have time to cook vegetables every day, you can always take Chlorella or Spirulina.
2. Nuts and seeds: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Nuts and seeds are excellent ingredients for a good diet for the brain because they contain not only health-beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but also vitamin E. Nut consumption increases the frequency of brain waves associated with key body functions, including cognitive and immune functions.
3. Wild salmon
Wild salmon has large amounts of omega-3 acids, which have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health and heart health.
Scientific research shows that there are connections between omega-3 acids contained in fish, and higher intelligence, as well as omega-3 acids and better sleep quality.
According to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania – fish consumption is conducive to achieving higher scores on the intelligence scale by school-age children (source). It is worth choosing salmon from organic farming or salmon from wild fishing.
When we buy fish in supermarkets, we get there farmed salmon, which is not a rich source of health-beneficial omega-3 acids, and it can contain harmful substances – dioxins, mercury and other dangerous compounds for the body.
4. Olive oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, linseed
Both olive oil, rapeseed oil as well as linseed oil and linseed are also great sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids that support the brain.
5. Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba leaf extract improves cerebral circulation, thanks to which it positively influences some processes occurring in the brain, including improves memory and facilitates concentration. Ginkgo biloba expands blood vessels and improves the transmission of nerve signals in the brain.
6. Legumes, yeast, oranges
These products contain folates, or B vitamins, which must be supplied to the body from outside. Folate deficiency favors elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood serum, which is a risk factor for ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
7. Blueberries, kiwi fruit, strawberries, lemons, currants
Fruits rich in vitamin C and antioxidants are valuable components of the diet, thanks to which our body can protect itself against free radicals, the excess of which causes damage to the cells.
8. Cocoa, dark chocolate, cocoa beans
Studies have shown that flavonols obtained from cocoa fruit seeds inhibit the process of deterioration of memory in seniors.
9. Rosemary
Herbs can also have a positive effect on memory and concentration. Studies have shown that children performing tasks in a fragrant rosemary room achieved better results in tests than children staying in a class without a fragrance. Still, it is not known how rosemary produces this type of effect.
10. Green tea
It is a powerful antioxidant that absorbs free radicals. As shown in studies in mice – the green tea component alleviates memory problems and brain resistance to insulin and helps to overcome obesity associated with a high-fat diet and fructose.