The foods we eat play a big role in
maintaining brain health, and they can improve certain mental tasks, such as
memory and concentration.
Since the brain is the body's control
center, responsible for keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing, and
allowing you to move, feel, and think, it's important that your mind stays at
its peak.
Specifically, there are 11 types of
foods that significantly contribute to enhancing the brain and memory,
according to health line:
1. Fatty fish
When people talk about brain foods,
fatty fish is often at the top of the list. This type of fish includes salmon,
trout, tuna, herring, and sardines, all of which are rich sources of omega-3
fatty acids.
About 60% of your brain is made up of
fats, and half of that fat is made up of omega-3 fatty acids. Your brain utilizes
omega-3s to make brain and nerves cells. These fats are essential for learning
and memory.
Omega-3s also offer many additional
benefits for your brain, as they may slow age-related mental decline and help
ward off Alzheimer's disease.
On the other hand, not getting enough
omega-3 is associated with poor learning, as well as depression, so fatty fish
is an excellent choice for brain health.
Summary:
Fatty fish is a rich source of
omega-3 fatty acids, which are a major building block of the brain. Omega-3
plays a role in sharpening memory and improving mood, as well as protecting
your brain from cognitive decline.
2. Coffee
If coffee is the highlight of your
morning, you'll be happy to hear that it's also very good for your brain. Two
main ingredients in coffee - caffeine and antioxidants - can help support brain
health.
The amount of caffeine in coffee
contains a number of goods effects on the brain, such as grow up alertness. Caffeine
maintains your brain active by blocking adenosine, a substance that makes you
sleepy. Caffeine also works in improving mood, with the help of boosting certain
neurotransmitters. "Feeling good" neurotransmitters, such as
dopamine.
By one study caffeine is consumption decreases
to short-term improvements in activeness and alertness in participants who
completed a very cognitive test.
Also, long-term coffee drinking is
also reduced risk of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's
disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Summary:
Coffee can help boost alertness and
improve mood. They may also provide some protection against Alzheimer's
disease, thanks to their caffeine and antioxidant content.
3. Blueberries (otherwise known as
blueberries)
Blueberries gives us many health
benefits, such as some specifically for your healthy brain.
Blueberries and other dark-colored
berries provide anthocyanin’s, a group of plant compounds with
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Antioxidants work against both
oxidative stress and inflammation, conditions that can contribute to brain
aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
There are some antioxidants in blueberries that
have been found to keep healthy brain and help to improve communication between
other cells.
Summary:
Blueberries are full of antioxidants
that may delay brain aging and improve memory.
4. Turmeric
Cur cumin, the active ingredient in
turmeric, has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier, which means it can
enter directly into the brain and benefit cells there. It is a powerful
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that has been linked to the
following brain benefits:
May benefit memory: Cur cumin may
help improve memory in people with Alzheimer's disease. It may also help remove
the amyloid plaques that are the hallmark of this disease.
Relieves depression: Cur cumin boosts
serotonin and dopamine, both of which improve mood. By one review the cur cumin
improves problems of depression and sadness when used.
It also helps to create new Brain
Cells: Cur cumin increases brain-derived neurotropic element, a kind of growth
hormone that is used to brain cells growth. It can help to delay age-related to
mental decline.
It is worth noting that most studies
use highly concentrated cur cumin supplements in doses ranging from 500-2000 mg
per day, which is much more cur cumin than most people consume when using
turmeric as a spice. This is because turmeric only consists of about 3-6% cur
cumin.
So, while adding turmeric to your
food may be beneficial, you may need to use a cur cumin supplement under a
doctor's supervision to get the results reported in these studies.
Summary:
Turmeric and its active compound, cur
cumin, have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, which help the
brain, and reduce symptoms of depression and Alzheimer's disease.
5. Broccoli
Broccoli is full of powerful plant
compounds, including antioxidants, and is also very high in vitamin K. 160
grams of cooked broccoli provides more than 100% of the recommended daily
intake.
This fat-soluble vitamin is essential
for the formation of sphingolipids, a type of fat found densely in brain cells.
Some studies in older adults have
also linked high intakes of vitamin K to improved memory and cognitive status.
Also, broccoli contains a number of
compounds that give it anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which may
help protect the brain from damage.
Summary:
Broccoli contains a number of
compounds that have a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.
6. Pumpkin seeds (white pulp)
Pumpkin seeds contain powerful
antioxidants that protect the body and brain from free radical damage. They are
also an excellent source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper. All of these
nutrients are important for brain health:-
Zinc: This element is important for
nerve signaling. Zinc deficiency has been linked to several neurological
conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, depression, and Parkinson's disease.
Magnesium: Essential for learning and
memory. The Low magnesium levels caused many neurological diseases, such as
migraines, depression, and epilepsy etc.
Copper: Your brain uses copper to
help control nerve signals. And when copper levels are out of control, there is
a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's
disease.
Iron: Iron deficiency is often
characterized by brain fog and impaired brain function.
Summary:
Pumpkin seeds are high in various
micronutrients very good for brain works, such as copper, iron, magnesium and
zinc.
7. Dark chocolate
The Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
have a number of brain-boosting elements, such as flavonoids, caffeine, and
antioxidants etc.
Dark chocolate contains 70% or more
cocoa. These benefits are not seen with regular milk chocolate, which contains
only between 10-50% cocoa.
Flavonoids may boost memory and also
help slow age-related mental decline. According to one study of more than 900
people, those who ate chocolate frequently performed better on a series of
mental tasks, including some memory-related tasks, compared to those who ate
chocolate. who rarely eat them. Chocolate also significantly improves mood.
Summary:
The flavonoids in chocolate can help
to protect the brain. By Studies the eating chocolate, especially dark chocolate,
boosts memory and mood.
8. Nuts
Research has shown that eating nuts
can improve indicators of heart health, and that having a healthy heart is
linked to brain health.
One study found that regular
consumption of nuts could be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline
in the elderly.
And another 2014 study found that
women who ate nuts regularly over several years had a sharper memory compared
to those who didn't eat nuts.
Several nutrients found in nuts, such
as healthy fats, antioxidants and vitamin E, may explain their beneficial
effects on brain health.
Vitamin E protects cells from free
radical damage to help slow mental decline.
And when all nuts are too good for
your brain health, walnuts have many advantages, such as they also provide us
anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids which are very essential for our brain
health.
Summary:
Nuts have many brain-boosting
nutrients, such as vitamin E, healthy fats, and plant elements.
9. Orange
You can get almost all the vitamin C
you need in a day by eating a medium-sized orange, which is very important for
brain health since vitamin C is a major factor in preventing mental decline.
By one study, containing high levels
of vitamin C in the blood was associated to improvements in functions such as
focus, memory, attention, and decision speed etc.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant
that helps fight free radicals that can damage brain cells. In addition,
vitamin C supports brain health as you age and may protect against conditions
such as depressive disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
You can also get high amounts of
vitamin C from other foods such as bell peppers, guavas, kiwis, tomatoes, and
strawberries.
Summary:
Oranges and other foods high in
vitamin C can help protect your brain from damage from free radicals.
10. Eggs
Eggs are a good source of several
nutrients associated with brain health, including vitamins B6 and B12, folate
(folic acid) and choline.
Choline is an important micronutrient
that your body uses to produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps
regulate mood and memory.
Two older studies found that a higher
intake of choline was associated with improved memory and mental function.
Eating eggs is an easy way to get
choline, since the yolk is one of the most concentrated sources of this
nutrient.
One egg yolk contains 112 mg of
choline, and most women need 425 mg per day, while men need 550 mg per day.
Moreover, the B vitamins in eggs also
have several roles in brain health and may help slow the progression of mental
decline in the elderly by lowering levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that
can be linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Deficiencies in two B vitamins —
folic acid and B12 — have also been linked to depression: Folic acid deficiency
is common in older adults with dementia, and studies show that folic acid
supplementation can help reduce age-related mental decline.
Vitamin B12 is also involved in the
manufacture of chemicals in the brain and the regulation of sugar levels in the
brain.
Summary:
Eggs are a rich source of several B
vitamins and choline, which are important for regulating mood and promoting
healthy brain function and development.
11. Green tea
As with coffee, the caffeine in green
tea enhances brain function, improving alertness, performance, memory and
concentration, but green tea also contains other ingredients that make it a
healthy drink for the brain.
One of these ingredients is L-thiamine,
an amino acid that can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase the activity
of the neurotransmitter GABA, which helps reduce anxiety and makes you feel
more relaxed.
L-thiamine also increases the
frequency of alpha waves in the brain, helping you to relax without feeling
tired.
Green tea is rich in polyphenols and
antioxidants that can protect the brain from mental decline and reduce the risk
of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Some studies have also shown that green
tea helps improve memory.
Summary:
Green tea is very affective drink
that supports your brain. Its caffeine elements improves alertness,
antioxidants that protect the brain, and L-thiamine helps to make you relax and
calm.
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