5 Best Foods for Fueling Your Brain

Eating processed junk food all day long and expecting your brain to thrive is like pouring gasoline on your plants instead of water and expecting them to grow.

Your plants won’t survive for long—and neither will your noodle.

Yet some estimates find that nearly 60 percent of the U.S. diet is made up of ultra-processed foods. So it’s no wonder we’re facing an epidemic of mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

On the other hand, when you feed your thinker the nutrients it needs to thrive, that healthy fuel provides the building blocks it needs for better learning, memory, attention, mood, and more.

Following are the top five brain-fuel foods you need to add to your shopping list starting TODAY.

Blueberries

Blueberries are packed with healthy antioxidants and phytonutrients, which protect your brain from damaging inflammation and free radicals.

One study showed that eating blueberries boosts memory and cognitive function. Another found that drinking blueberry juice for 12 weeks improved memory and mood.

Salmon

If there’s one single food that could be synonymous with brain food, it’s salmon. Salmon is loaded with omega-3s, which are critical for healthy brain function.

One omega-3 in particular, DHA, is often considered the MOST essential nutrient for brain health.

In addition to supporting your brain’s structural integrity, DHA is the main component of the part of your brain that’s responsible for memory, language, emotion, and attention.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are other excellent sources of brain-supporting omega-3 ALA.

The body then converts ALA into DHA in the body. This process is not very robust, though, so nuts shouldn’t replace seafood as a source of DHA.

However, it’s a convenient way to grab a healthy food on the go.

In addition to their omega-3 content, nuts and seeds provide magnesium, which has also been shown to improve memory.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which can improve brain function. Plus, this tasty treat also delivers a modest shot of caffeine, which helps improve function and alertness.

Just be sure to choose the dark variety and pick chocolate bars containing less sugar.

Avocado

Rounding out the brain-food list are avocados, another healthy fat source for your thinker.

People who eat more avocados have been found to have higher amounts of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). This key protein has been shown to improve memory and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline.

If you want to maintain a healthy brain and fight cognitive decline for the rest of your days, ditch the processed junk foods. Instead, fill up your shopping cart with more of these five memory-boosting foods starting today.

P.S. Junk food isn’t the only thing harming your noodle. It turns out this common “habit” can literally cause the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory to SHRINK. Lucky for us, that damage can be reversed. Here’s how.

SOURCE:

(2022, August 13.) “The Top 5 Foods to Eat for Better Brain Health.” SciTech Daily. https://scitechdaily.com/the-top-5-foods-to-eat-for-better-brain-health/