“It’s hard to keep all the diet news straight… What should I eat to keep my brain healthy?”
A complete and balanced diet is probably the most sound advice, but some specific types of food are especially good for brain health. Here are a few of the best:
Fish: The original “brain food” contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oils, especially cold water fish like salmon and cod. Omega-3s are beneficial in a number of ways, including promoting neuronal growth, improved cholesterol, and fortification of myelin sheaths which facilitate communication between neurons.
Vegetables: This is a great source of antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment by diminishing oxidative stress. Spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower are among the top candidates.
Fruits: Like vegetables, fruits are rich in antioxidants. However, fruit tastes better. Some of your healthiest options are blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, avocados, oranges, red grapes, red bell peppers, cherries and kiwis.
Water: Be sure to get enough to keep your body and brain hydrated. Dehydration can cause a headache now, and can lead to long-term neuronal damage sustained from elevated stress hormones.
Chocolate: Last (and arguably least beneficial) is cocoa beans, which contain the flavanol epicatechin and antioxidants. Dark chocolate is best, and avoid candy bars with lots of added sugars. Also, recent research suggests that chocolate can improve memory.
17 Comments
Thanks for the tips. I guess I should eat my vegetables. Chocolate is definitely the highlight.
FitBuff.com featured this post at the Total Mind and Body Fitness Carnival: http://www.fitbuff.com/blog/2007/07/02/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-4/
Omega-3’s can be obtained from vegetable sources like flaxseed without strip-mining the oceans’ fish as modern trawling does (with two of three animals caught – fish, birds, and sea mammals – being “non-target trash animals” which are discarded.
JM
This site is very beneficial. Some of the sources that I was not familiar with definitely added a bonus on my knowledge on facts on such. Thanks!
Well,It’s that really true…..I don’t think that their are the only food that is healthy for the brain.What about Brown Rice and Cereal????Doesn’t it count as healthy food for the brain?????
Grains like wheat, oats,barley and brown rice definitely provide the mental boost one needs. They are carbohydrates(complex carbo) which the body needs. They are also essentially nutritious for the whole body system (so long as you don’t have allergic reactions to wheat and grains) and keeps the pounds off! Simple carbohydrates like white bread, processed carbohydrates like cake and other pastries sure do give mental boosts since they are starchy and will still be converted to glucose (something that the brain surely craves for) .However, hey are sure not a guarantee to keeping you fit and healthier. =)
ok…that’s true…thank you!!
thanks for telling me this.
You forgot Blueberries:What blueberries do is what simply can be called strengthening the brain by taking advantages of the brain’s tremendous redundancy. Blueberries have compounds that boost neuron signals and help turn back on systems in the brain that can lead to using other proteins to help with memory or other cognitive skills.Eating blueberries and a diet rich in deep pigment from fruits and vegetables can preserve the brain machinery and boost the potency of neuron signals.
THANKS FOR THIS,BUT MOST OF TANZANIAN THEY DO NOT GET THAT KIND OF FOODS THUS WHY ARE FOOLISH AND POVERTY
Great article! All of these foods are great for our hearts as well as our minds – we’d all be a lot better off if we spent more time in the produce aisle.
Unfortunately, fish and produce can be pretty expensive. I’ve started grabbing whichever fruit or vegetable happens to be on sale that particular day. Also, a lot of fruit and vegetable stands have great deals.
raw egg yolk too is one of the brain food yes i mean what i say “raw egg yolk” but only the yolk ,the egg white is bad for your body and make sure that egg is fresh and from farmers that feed the hens natural grains. if it is from a factory grain, you willl get sick! (vomitting). At frist i tought it is discusting then i force my self to eat it then all of the sudden it felt delicious.This is to my point of view P.S if you are not ready to try please dont.ok? peace out.
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This is a great article for me and my kids. Now there tellin’ me to buy chocolate and fish more often. I said yes to the fish and only limited amounts of dark cholocate and no unhealthy candy bar. This has helped me so much. More people should know about this!
well i think your site is very good and has great information on it for other peopleto know!
It’s great!!!
o TRUEEEEE!?
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