Brain Food Diet
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Before we begin I’d like to take a moment and thank my HappiHuman community for once again voting me Nutritionist of the Year in Kamloops. I’m so pleased to have also won best Instagram account @thenutritionalnerd and runner up for best website HappiHuman.com - your support means so much to me.
Now on with the show…
Do you want to boost your brainpower naturally but don’t know how? Don’t miss out on these excellent brain food diets that can help.
If there is one organ that we should pay attention to when it comes to our health, it’s our brain. This complex piece of human machinery is the command centre behind our every thought and action.
Yet, surprisingly, many of us don’t consider that the load we put on this precious part of our body can lead to poor brain health. So what can we do about it?
Well, what we eat is what provides the power to our powerhouse. So by focusing on brain food diets, you can keep your brain in good health, providing you peace of mind long into the future.
Want to know what the best brain-healthy foods are or looking for ways to reverse dementia naturally? Read on to find out more
Fatty Fish
If you are looking for one food to incorporate easily into your weekly diet, the answer has to be fish. It’s long been thought of as healthy food, and the advantages it offers to our brains really set this staple apart.
The reason that fish is one of the best brain foods comes down to its makeup. Fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, trout, and sardines are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which is excellent news for your brain. The reason?
Not only is your brain mainly made up of fat, but up to 50% of that fat is the type found in fish. The presence of more in your body due to what you eat can lead to improved cognitive function and less chance of developing Alzheimer’s. This is because omega-3 helps build cell membranes in the brain, improving the structure of your neurons.
It can also make up part of an anti-anxiety diet, with the omega-3 helping with mood disorders.
Without a doubt, good fatty fish can be considered one of the best additions to all brain food diets, so try to work it into your eating schedule at least once a week.
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Broccoli
As a rule, you should always try to include more green vegetables into your diet, regardless of the health benefits that you wish to focus on. This is because green vegetables contain good amounts of beta carotene, lutein, and flavonoids, which are all great for improved brain health.
But if you are looking for a superfood among them, the crown has to go to broccoli.
As well as packing the same punch as the other veggies, broccoli is also exceptionally high in vitamin K. In fact, just one serving of broccoli provides you with more than 100% of your recommended daily allowance.
So what’s all the fuss about vitamin K?
For starters, there are clear links between vitamin K and improved memory and overall brain power. And if that’s not enough, vitamin K provides many other great health benefits, as well.
If you are trying to include more broccoli in your menu plan, switch things up and try roasting it instead of just boiling it. Put it on a tray with some olive oil, fresh garlic cloves, and chilli flakes, then bake at 350F for about 15 to 20 minutes. Two minutes before the end, sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and enjoy! You’ll never go back to boiling broccoli again!
“Genius Tip: It’s never wise to boil broccoli (or any vegetable for that matter). Many of the vegetables’ nutrients end up in the water, which often gets poured down the drain.”
Berries
Want to stave off memory loss? Well, you can’t do much wrong by upping your intake of berries.
The component that makes the magic happen is called anthocyanin, a flavonoid that has incredible antioxidant effects. Berries like blackberries, blueberries, and blackcurrants can increase communication between brain cells, improve a cells’ plasticity or responsiveness, and improve memory and learning.
In fact, one study was able to cement berries’ place as one of the best foods for memory. Harvard's Bringham and Women's Hospital was able to show that they could delay memory decline in patients when they were given two or more portions of blueberries and strawberries every week.
On top of that, they taste delicious! Reap the benefits of this memory food by adding berries to your morning cereal or use them as a tasty topper to any salad.
Eggs
The humble egg is not what we would call glamour food by any means. However, once you learn how good they are for our bodies, you may think differently about this humble food.
What makes eggs excellent brain food is the high quantity of choline found in them. Choline has many functions, but what makes this nutrient good news for the brain is that it helps create acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter regulates mood and memory, making eggs a must if you are serious about brain food diets.
The yolk is where most choline is stored, so be sure to eat the whole egg not to miss out on the benefits.
Genius Tip: Be sure to source eggs from pasture-raised hens. You’ll know when you’ve discovered excellent eggs by the colour of their yolks. The darker and more orange the yolk, the more key brain nutrients it contains.
The ageing population will also greatly benefit from eating eggs as eggs contain B6, B12, and folate. All of these nutrients are linked to reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Whether you have them sunny side up, scrambled or poached, including eggs in your diet means that you are taking advantage of one of the best brain foods out there.
Nuts
It’s fair to say that we at HappiHuman.com are nuts about nuts!
Whether you are chomping down on them as a snack or incorporating them into your dishes, if you can eat more nuts, then you should.
Often cited as excellent sources of protein and fibre, nuts are also one of the best components of all brain food diets out there. Great for overall brain function, nuts are rich in Vitamin E, which naturally fights against free-radical damage, one of the main reasons for cognitive decline. A 2014 study showed that an increased nut consumption improved memory capacity in older people.
If you are looking for a pack leader among nuts, it has to be the walnut. As well as containing all the good things we have already mentioned, what sets walnuts apart is the presence of brain power-enhancing omega-3 fatty acids.
Genius Tip: Buy any nuts raw and store them in the fridge to maintain their freshness. If you prefer roasted nuts, you can easily roast them yourself to avoid rancid and damaging commercial vegetable oils that are often used during the roasting process.
Focusing on Brain Food Diets Is Smart Thinking
There is no escaping that we are what we eat. But knowing that certain foods can preserve brain health and improve our long-term health, certainly adds another layer to how seriously we should take what we put into our mouths.
We hope our breakdown of the best foods to include in all brain food diets provides you with the motivation you need.
As everybody is different, better insight into what works for you is priceless in attaining long-term health. Book a consultation today to help you on your journey.
[Medical Disclaimer]
All information contained in this document is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent health problems. For all serious health issues, please contact a medical or nutrition practitioner. The information provided is based on the best knowledge of the author at the time of writing, and we do not assume liability for the information, be it direct or indirect, consequential, special exemplary, or other damages. In all circumstances, it is always wise to consult your physician before changing your diet, taking supplements, or starting any exercise or health program.