Want to achieve top performance at work and boost your brainpower? The first place you need to look is down at your plate. Meal prepping will save time in the week, and help you stick to your weekly budget. What’s more, preparing extra meals in advance means that you can pop ‘em into the freezer and swap them out when you need a little variety in your week. Meal prepping will help you ensure that you eat a regular and consistently healthy diet.
Nutrition is just as important for your mind as it is for your body. Did you know that some foods are classified as ‘brain foods’ – meaning that they are especially beneficial to boost your brainpower? Your brain needs plenty of water as well as specific foods to keep you healthy and on top of your game. By feeding your brain the right stuff you will stay focused, concentrate for longer, improve memory retention, improve your mental health, and prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. What’s more, Brain Food won’t break your budget.
Read the science below, or skip past all the technical stuff and get straight to the recipes at the end!
Let’s Talk Carbs and Grains
What to eat:
- Oats (used to make granola and porridge, or ground up to substitute wheat flour when baking)
- Brown rice and brown rice noodles
- 100% whole grain pasta or spaghetti (in moderation)
- Sprouted whole-grain bread (in moderation)
- Buckwheat (a type of flour that can be used to substitute wheat, and is also used to make soba noddle’s)
- Legumes (think beans, chickpeas, and peas)
- Corn and corn flour
- Teff and quinoa
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- 70% or more sugar-free dark chocolate
What to avoid:
- White bread
- White rice and rice noodles
- Refined wheat spaghetti and pasta
- Highly processed foods (think pizza, donuts, cereal, biscuits, crackers, potato chips, cookies, etc. – sorry!)
- Other high-sugar and high-fat foods and drinks (like soda, deep-fried carbs, processed fruit juice, salad dressings, candy and chocolate, etc.)
- Added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like Aspartame
The Science:
As one of the basic food groups, carbs are fundamental. Eating the right brain-friendly carbohydrates keeps your energy levels stable, allows you to concentrate for longer, and you won’t feel the need to reach for those snacks to keep your brain on-task.
These ‘good’ carbs are complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (GI) which release energy slowly, helping you stay focused throughout the day. Also, whole grains offer fibre, which keeps the microorganisms in your gut happy, and good gut bacteria has been linked to cognitive function improving mental health. Grains like rice, corn and buckwheat contain B vitamins including thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, which are essential for energy production, production of neurotransmitters and preventing depression. These good carbs also aid in acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate your brain activity during sleep, and tyrosine, an amino acid that helps you produce serotonin (the ‘happy chemical’).
Good news chocolate lovers! Studies show that Sugar-free minimum 70% dark chocolate is beneficial for your memory, mood and brain function. Consuming cacao increases blood flow to the brain, promotes the formation of synapses between neurons, and is beneficial for the hippocampus – the region of the brain responsible for storing memories. Chocolate improves mood and reduces anxiety (as we all know first-hand!).
Eat the wrong carbs however, and you will go into a ‘brain fog’ due to the rapidly rising and falling rollercoaster of blood sugar levels. While pizza, cookies and white bread may be delicious, they are also highly addictive due to this enjoyable ‘hit’ of energy. Unfortunately, all rollercoasters must come down and you will soon feel a ‘crash’ of energy. Gluten, found in barley and wheat products like pasta, bread a beer, contain something called gluten exorphins – which actually have an opioid effect! This type of refined carbs (high GI carbs, refined wheat, simple carbs and sugar) are also stripped of their nutrients during their production processing. Indulging in processed carbs is even linked to mood problems and behavioural disorders. Research shows that refined carbs like white bread and white rice may impair the memory of both children and adults, and even increase risk of Alzheimer’s. In addition, eating foods containing refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like Aspartame is also harmful for your brain. This is because elevated glucose in the bloodstream slows down cognitive function and impacts your attention and memory. And artificial sweeteners, although they don’t actually contain sugar, can still lead to these same issues.
Looking to lose weight? Don’t jump on the carb-free fad. Research shows that if you eat a carb-free diet, your thinking and memory will suffer. It is better to maintain a balanced diet of all the food groups. Just steer clear of those refined carbs and stick to the ‘good’ carbs.
Your Brain Loves Good Fat
What to eat:
- Fatty seafood (seafood products like fatty salmon, mackerel, cod liver oil, seabass, shrimp, trout, herring, oysters, sardines, and caviar)
- Nuts (especially walnuts)
- Seeds and beans (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans, kidney beans, soybean oil)
- Avocados
- Coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, sesame oil
What to avoid:
- Red meat (saturated fats)
- Cheese and butter (saturated fats)
- Swordfish, tuna (high in mercury)
- Canola oil (think salad dressing, cooking oil)
- Highly processed foods
- Meat and dairy from cattle, sheep, and goats (Animals that digest grass produce trans fats, trans-fatty acids. Also look for partially hydrogenated oils on the food label)
The Science:
Did you know up to 70% of your brain is made of fat? The word ‘fat’ might be a scary word for some, but your brain depends upon it! Specific types of fats are an incredibly important nutritional component needed to keep your brain healthy. Put simply, your brain simply loves good fats. But which types of fats?
First up – what are fatty acids? Fatty acids are the building blocks of fat in our bodies. Some fatty acids are essential for your brain as they build cell membranes, and have an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Your body is capable of synthesising most of the fatty acids it needs – and these types of fatty acids are known as nonessential fatty acids. However, some fatty acids your body is incapable of producing by itself, and these are called essential fatty acids. Omega-3 contains three essential fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA) that are vital for your brain. This means that your body needs to help to produce them – you need to get them from your diet. The Omega-3 fatty acids improve memory retention and prevent dementia, helping you learn and function efficiently. Feed your brain with Omega-3’s by eating lots of fatty fish, but avoid high-mercury fish like swordfish and tuna – because mercury is a neurotoxin that causes memory problems and poor thinking skills. Omega-3 fatty acid can also be found in walnuts (I knew there was a reason those things look like tiny brains!), seeds and beans, seaweed and algae. Omeg-3 is very important for your brain – so, if you can’t get enough Omega-3 in your diet (for example, if you are vegan or vegetarian), you should check with your doctor if you need to take a supplement.
Other good fats like Avocados are a great source of folate, which keeps your brain sharp and prevents Alzheimer’s. Olive oil and other vegetable oils are high in omega-6s, which has been linked to preventing Alzheimer’s, brain inflammation, and depression.
Some fats are not good for your brain! Red meat and most dairy products – butter in particular – are high in saturated fat, and the research-based eating program MIND Diet suggests limiting them to improve your memory and stay sharp. And we already covered that you should avoid seafood that is high in mercury, like swordfish and tuna. You also should avoid foods that contain trans fats – these reduce serotonin production in the brain, leading to depression and memory loss. Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are formed naturally when animals (like cattle, sheep and goats) digest grass – and this ends up in their meat and dairy. Some foods which say they are trans fats free on the label actually still contain a small amount. So, you also should avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils on the food label.
Protein
What to eat:
- Tofu and other soy-based products
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Fatty seafood (seafood products like fatty wild-caught salmon, mackerel, cod liver oil, seabass, shrimp, trout, herring, oysters, sardines, and caviar)
- Nuts (especially walnuts)
- Seeds and beans (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans, kidney beans, soybean oil)
- Natural protein powders like pea protein powder
What to avoid:
- Swordfish, tuna (high in mercury)
- Meat and dairy
- Highly processed or deep-fried foods
- Some protein replacement supplement powders that contain added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like Aspartame
The Science:”
Proteins are incredibly important to get nutrients to your brain cells. Proteins help the neurons in your brain communicate with each other through neurotransmitters that are made from amino acids. Protein contains amino acids, as well as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. As we already covered, these are essential nutrients that your body cannot make by itself.
Tofu is a great near-complete protein made from soy plants – and it is also kind on the planet. High-fibre protein like tofu helps to keep your memory healthy and protects your brain as you get older. Soy-based products (like tofu) have been found to improve cognitive and executive function in older adults. Just be aware that consuming too many soy-based products (that is, over 50 mg of soy isoflavones per day – equivalent to more than 4 standard servings of soy products per day) has been found to impact on the hormones and reproductive system. So, just don’t eat soy for literally every meal.
Eggs are a good source of several nutrients that you brain needs, including vitamins B6 and B12, folate and choline (a micronutrient that your body uses to create acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory). A healthy person can eat up to 3 eggs per day. Chicken is a great source of protein, and is also high in choline, and vitamins B6 and B12.
If you are a fan of protein powder, you might want to have a look at the ingredients. Protein powder is great for getting additional protein in your diet – especially if you live an active lifestyle – but many commercial protein powder brands contain added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you need extra protein in your diet, opt for natural protein powders – like pea protein powder – which are high in protein without any hidden nasties.
As we already covered, fatty proteins like fatty seafood, nuts, seeds and beans, are great for your brain! And as you now know, you should avoid high-mercury fish, meat and dairy, and highly processed or deep-fried foods.
Fruit and Veg
What to eat:
- Broccoli, beetroot, avocadoes, pumpkin seeds and seaweed
- Berries (particularly blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, mulberries)
- Other fruit (especially grapes, pomegranates, cherries, bananas, kiwis, apples, clementine’s and oranges)
- Green leafy vegetables (particularly kale, spinach, collards, brussels sprouts)
- Tomatoes, avocados and cucumbers
- Other roots (especially turmeric, garlic, onion, ginger, carrot, yams, sweet potatoes and potatoes (in moderation and cooked in a healthy way – for example steamed)
- Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin
- Celery and asparagus
- Seaweed and algae
- Acai
- Cinnamon
- Coconut
What to avoid:
- Anything with added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners (like Aspartame)
- Processed fruits or fruit products made with added refined sugar (such as processed fruit juice or soda, pastries, desserts and treats)
- Tinned or frozen vegetables and fruit often contain added refined sugar
- Deep-fried, pre-cooked fruits and vegetables that are high in unhealthy fats and may have added refined sugars
- Alcoholic beverages (i.e. mimosas, punch, sangria – sorry!)
The Science:
Good news! Pretty much any fruit and vegetables are good for your brain. They are high in antioxidants, multiple types of vitamins, and provide hydration and fibre – pretty much packed with everything your big brain needs.
Some fruit and veggies which have been found to be especially good for your brain include berries, broccoli, beetroot, avocadoes, pumpkin seeds and seaweed.
As you should know by now, avoid anything with added refined sugars or artificial sweeteners like Aspartame. And while some products may be marketed as ‘fruit’, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are healthy. Many processed fruits are made with added refined sugar or are high in unhealthy fats.
And it’s no news that you should also avoid alcohol if you want to protect your brain! Drinking alcohol blocks the chemical signals between your brain cells (which is what makes you feel tipsy or drunk), has a toxic effect on the central nervous system, changes blood supply to the brain and interferes with absorption of vitamin B1 (thiamine), a vital nutrient for your brain. Alcohol also impairs memory and thinking abilities, balance and coordination, and can lead to a range of medical neurological disorders.
And while this is only a short-term form of brain damage, studies show that drinking alcohol in excess (more than one drink a day for women and two for men) causes lasting brain injury and an increased risk of dementia.
The Recipes
These recipes are the quantity for just 1 serving. To make one week (five days) worth of lunches, simply make 5 times the quantity. To make enough for two people for the week, simply make 10 times the quantity listed in this recipe. And so on. You get it.
Ginger Garlic Salmon with Broccoli and Brown Rice
Packed full of protein, this meal-prep got-to is full of everything your brain needs to stay focused and keep the energy levels sustained throughout the day.
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sesame seed oil
- 1 fillet wild caught salmon (this can be substituted with kidney beans and chickpeas, or tofu steak)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- Lemon wedge
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
How-to
- Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Line a baking day with baking paper.
- In a small bowl using a fork, mix ginger, garlic, and oils.
- Place broccoli florets and salmon on-lined baking tray. Gently cover with the marinate mixture.
- Roast in the oven until the salmon is just cooked through.
- Serve with brown rice and lemon wedge.
Hearty Oat and Bean Vegetable Soup
For this one, you will need to invest in some good-quality leak-proof containers, but I guarantee you it’s worth it! This hearty soup is easy to make and packed full of nutrients your brain will love.
- 1 cup vegetable stock – use unsalted sugar-free vegetable stock
- ½ a celery stalk, chopped
- ½ a carrot, chopped
- ½ a leek, chopped
- ½ a garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
- ¼ cup oats
- ¼ cup canned pinto beans
- 1 slice sprouted whole-grain bread
How-to
- Combine all ingredients except oats and beans in a pot and bring to boil.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
- Add oats and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
- Add beans and cook for 5 minutes.
- Serve with 1 slice sprouted whole-grain bread.
Blueberry Walnut Salad with Chicken Strips
A light and healthy option for those who don’t need a big lunch, this crunchy salad is full of flavour and has everything your brain needs to stay productive.
- 100g organic boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips (this can be substituted with tofu cut into strips)
- ½ egg, whisked
- 2 tsp almond meal
- ½ tsp sugar-free desiccated coconut
- Pinch of chilli powder, chopped garlic, and black pepper
- Handful of baby spinach and chopped kale mix
- A Small handful of blueberries
- A Small handful of walnut pieces, toasted or raw
- ½ an avocado, sliced
- 1/3 cup cooked 100% whole grain spiral pasta
How-to
- Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a baking day with baking paper.
- Combine almond meal, coconut, chilli, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Crack egg into another shallow bowl and whisk.
- Coat each chicken strip or tofu strip with egg, wipe off excess and then dip into the dry mixture until covered completely.
- Place strips onto a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Flip. Bake for 10 minutes more. Remove and cool.
- While the strips are cooking, prepare the salad by combining all the salad ingredients.
- Serve with cooked whole grain pasta.
