Eating brain-healthy foods can keep your brain in good shape and boost your memory and focus. Your brain is like the boss of your body, making your heart beat, and your lungs breathe, and helping you move, feel, and think.
Plenty of foods are good for your brain.
Some, like fruits, veggies, tea, and coffee, have antioxidants that protect your brain.
Others, like nuts and eggs, have stuff that helps your memory and brain grow.
If you eat these foods, you can make your brain happy, sharp, and in a good mood.
Coffee
Drinking coffee can be good for your brain because it has two important things: caffeine and antioxidants.
If you drink coffee for a long time, it might also lower your chances of getting brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
People who have 3-4 cups of coffee a day seem to have the lowest risk, and this might be because coffee has lots of antioxidants.
Blueberries
Blueberries are really good for you, especially your brain.
They have something called anthocyanins, which are like plant superheroes that fight inflammation and help your brain stay healthy.
These superheroes, the antioxidants, also protect your brain from getting old too quickly or getting sick.
Some studies even say that eating blueberries might make your memory better and help your brain work better, especially for kids and older people.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain some fantastic ingredients for your brain:
– Flavonoids, which are like brain boosters.
– Caffeine, which wakes up your brain.
– Antioxidants, which protect your brain.
The flavonoids in chocolate hang out in the parts of your brain that do learning and remembering. Some research shows that these things might make your memory better and help your brain stay sharp as you get older.
In one study, those who ate chocolate more often did better on memory and thinking tests than those who didn’t eat it much.
Green tea
Green tea, similar to coffee, has caffeine that can wake up your brain.
It can make you more alert, improve your memory, and help you focus.
But green tea is also good for your brain because it has something called L-theanine. L-theanine is like a chill pill for your brain. It can help you relax and feel less anxious.
Green tea also has things called polyphenols and antioxidants that protect your brain from getting old too fast and reduce the chances of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
EGGS
Eggs have many nutrients that are good for our brain. These nutrients include vitamins B6 and B12, folate, and choline.
Choline helps your brain with things like mood and memory. Some studies have even said that eating more choline might make your memory and thinking better.
The B vitamins in eggs are also brain-friendly. They can slow down mental decline in older people by reducing something called homocysteine, which is linked to memory problems.
Not having enough of two B vitamins, and folate can make you feel sad.
Many older people with memory issues don’t have enough folate, but taking folic acid can help.
Vitamin B12 does good stuff for your brain too, like making brain chemicals and keeping your brain sugar levels in check.
Nuts
Eating nuts can make our brain and heart healthier. One study even said that eating nuts often might help your brain stay sharp as you get older.
Nuts have good things like healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamin E that can protect your brain.
Walnuts, in particular, are extra special because they have omega-3 fatty acids, which can fight inflammation in your body.
Pumpkin seeds
They are a great source of copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
They contain antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage.
The micronutrients in these seeds are helpful in many neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, depression, migraine and epilepsy.
Fish
Fish especially fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, and sardines are very high sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3 are used to build brain cells which is essential for our memory.
Eating these foods can help keep your brain sharp as you get older and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Not getting enough omega-3s can affect learning and mood, and eating fish often might boost the important parts of your brain responsible for decisions, memory, and feelings.
Turmeric
This bright yellow spice is used in curry, and it’s really good for your brain.
The important part of turmeric, called curcumin, can go straight into your brain and help the cells there.
Curcumin may help improve memory in people with Alzheimer’s. It also boosts serotonin and dopamine, which could improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
For more articles on physical health, check our health section here.
