The brain is the most intricate organ in our body, controlling every bodily function, including movement, thinking, memory, emotion, vision, temperature, and hunger. Keeping the brain in peak working condition is imperative for overall wellness. The foods that we eat play a crucial role in keeping our brains healthy and improving specific mental abilities like focus and concentration. Brain healthy foods are brain boosters and including them in your daily diet does a lot of good for your cognitive performance. Brain busters, however, do the exact opposite.
Let’s read about the different food items and find out which category they belong to.
Foods That are Brain Boosters
There are a lot of foods that promote brain health and boost alertness, memory, and mood. You can choose to incorporate the foods that are mentioned below, which are brain boosters and contribute to your brain health.
1. Fatty Fish
Salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, and sardines are all excellent suppliers of omega-3 fatty acids. Depleted levels may result in depression as well as learning disabilities. Studies have shown that people who eat fatty fish have more grey matter in their brains.
2. Coffee
The best part of everyone’s morning is a warm cup of coffee. Coffee makes you feel refreshed and alert. Caffeine and antioxidants are the two components that contribute to brain health. Caffeine has several benefits, including increased alertness, mood, and concentration.
Consistent consumption of coffee in the long term may reduce the risk of age-related diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The antioxidants present in coffee have a great role to play in this.
3. Turmeric
The active component of turmeric, curcumin, has been demonstrated to traverse the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to reach the brain and has neuroprotective effects. Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substance that has been connected to several advantages for the brain.
4. Broccoli
Broccoli, one of the brain healthy foods, contains potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to vitamin K which helps shield the brain from harm. The formation of sphingolipids, a type of fat that is tightly packed inside brain cells, depends on this fat-soluble vitamin K. A higher intake of vitamin K has been associated with enhanced memory and better cognitive health in a few trials conducted on older persons.
5. Dark Chocolates
Flavonoids, caffeine, and antioxidants are a few brain boosters that are abundant in dark chocolate and cocoa powder. A dark chocolate bar has a cocoa content of at least 70%. Regular milk chocolate, which contains between 10 and 50% cocoa, does not offer these advantages. Flavonoids are a group of antioxidant plant chemicals found in chocolate that accumulate in the area of the brain that is involved in memory and learning. Studies have revealed that flavonoids may help in delaying age-related mental decline.
6. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are powerhouses of antioxidants that protect the brain from free radical damage. Pumpkin seeds are amongst the brain healthy foods that are a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron that play a key role in cognitive performance. Zinc and copper control nerve signals and deficiency in these can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Magnesium is crucial for learning and memory. An iron deficiency can lead to brain fog and impaired brain function.
7. Nuts
Nutrients in nuts such as antioxidants, vitamin E, and healthy fats may explain why they are good for the brain. Vitamin E helps reduce the ageing process by shielding cells from free radical damage. Walnuts may be especially beneficial because they contain anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
8. Eggs
Eggs are a good source of several nutrients, particularly vitamins B6 and B12, folate, and choline. Your body needs choline to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that aids in mood and memory regulation. Eating eggs is the simplest way to get adequate quantities of this nutrient.
9. Oranges
Oranges are the best source of the most important nutrient – Vitamin C. One medium orange provides almost all of the vitamin C you require for the day. Vitamin C is crucial for maintaining cognitive function and including this food good for brain becomes important.
High levels of vitamin C are linked to enhancement in activities requiring attention, focus, memory, and fast decision-making. Vitamin C is brimming with antioxidants that protect the brain from free radical damage. It promotes brain health and protects you against age-related diseases like depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, etc.
10. Blueberries
Blueberries provide several health benefits, some of which are particularly beneficial for brain health. Anthocyanins, a class of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, are present in blueberries and other berries with deep colours.
Antioxidants combat inflammation and oxidative stress – two factors that can speed up the ageing process of the brain and cause neurodegenerative disorders.
Foods That are Brain Busters
Your diet is what decides whether you are harming your brain or boosting it. Certain foods are brain busters and enhance the risk of diseases like dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Cut down on the foods listed below and reduce the risk of impairing brain function.
1. Drinks with Sugar Additives
Drinks with sugar additives pose the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity in addition to harming the brain. These drinks contain high-fructose corn syrup that contains about 45% glucose and 55% fructose. High consumption of fructose can lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and arterial dysfunction all of which are aspects of metabolic syndrome. This may even increase the risk of developing dementia.
2. Refined Carbs
High-processed flours like white flour and sugars are some of the refined carbohydrates that have to be avoided. Excess consumption of refined carbs with a high glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) can weaken memory and intelligence. It may also enhance the risk of dementia.
3. Trans Fats
Trans fats are unsaturated fats that can have a detrimental effect on your brain. Meat and dairy products have naturally occurring trans fats that are not a threat to brain functioning. But some of the artificially produced trans fats found in margarine, prepacked foods, ready-made cakes etc. can cause considerable damage to your brain over a while.
The risk of developing Alzheimer’s, diminishing memory, and cognitive decline, are some of the outcomes of a high intake of industrially produced trans fats.
4. Fish with Mercury
Being a neurotoxic substance, mercury can be especially dangerous to growing foetuses and young children. Large predatory fish like sharks and swordfish accumulate the mercury slowly over a time so it is important to restrict your consumption of mercury-rich fish.
5. Processed Foods
Processed foods contribute to extra body fat that accumulates around the organs and is linked to a loss of brain tissue. Additionally, highly processed foods may worsen brain inflammation and harm the blood-brain barrier, memory, learning, and brain plasticity.
6. Alcohol
Alcohol use might have some beneficial health effects when consumed in moderation but excessive consumption can cause memory loss, behavioural abnormalities, and sleep disruption.
Conclusion
Your diet definitely has an impact on your brain health. The brain is the centre of all bodily functions and should be at its best at all times if you have to lead a healthy and happy life. More brain boosters like vegetables, fruits, fatty fish, coffee, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc. should be a part of your daily diet for optimal functioning of your brain.
Just like food good for brain, certain foods can have a negative impact on the brain like loss of memory, blood-brain barrier damage, a decline of brain plasticity, etc. So, foods like refined carbs, processed foods, sugary drinks, and alcohol should be avoided for optimum brain health.
