Want to achieve top performance at work and boost your brainpower? The first place to look is down at your plate. Nutrition is important – your brain needs plenty of good food and water to keep you healthy and on top of your game. But did you know that some foods are classified as ‘Brain Foods’ – meaning that they are especially beneficial to boost your brainpower? By feeding your brain the right stuff you can stay focused, improve memory retention, protect your mental health, and even prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Let’s dive into the science of Brain Foods.
Let’s Talk Carbs and Grains
As one of the basic food groups, carbs are fundamental. Eating the correct 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.
What to eat:
- Oats (or baking substitute oat flour). The low glycemic index (GI) releases energy slowly, helping you stay focused throughout the day. Tyrosine and Tryptophan help produce melatonin and serotonin – aiding sleep, reducing anxiety & depression, regulating appetite, helping manage pain tolerance.
- Brown rice (or brown rice noodles), buckwheat. Low GI. B vitamins are essential to energy production, production of neurotransmitters, preventing depression.
- Whole Grains (pasta, or sprouted bread). Fibre a happy gut improves cognitive function, mental health. Choline aids neurotransmitter acetylcholine to help with sleep regulation. Low GI.
- Legumes ( beans, chickpeas, and peas). High fibre. Low GI. Folic Acid improves memory, prevents Alzheimer’s.
- Quinoa and Teff. Low GI. High fibre. Vitamins including Vitamin B2 for a healthy brain.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables. High fibre. Vitamins & Nutrients. Antioxidants improve brain cell communication, reduce inflammation, form new connections, boost learning & memory.
Eat the wrong carbs, and you will go into a ‘brain fog’ due to the rapidly rising and falling rollercoaster of blood sugar levels. While refined wheat pasta and white bread, pizza, cookies, and white rice and noodles may be delicious, they are also highly addictive due to this enjoyable ‘hit’ of energy and stripped of nutrients. Unfortunately, all rollercoasters must come down and you will soon feel a ‘crash’.
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 stick to the ‘good’ carbs!
Your Brain Loves Good Fat
Did you know up to 70% of your brain is made of fat? Your brain depends upon it! Fatty acids are building for our bodies and brains – they build cell membranes and have an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Some fatty acids are called essential fatty acids, your body needs help to produce them – you need to get them from your diet. Three essential fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA) that are vital for your brain are Omega-3 fatty acids, which improve memory retention, help you learn, and prevent dementia. Omega-3 is very important for your brain – so, if you can’t get enough in your diet (for example, if you are vegan or vegetarian), you should check with your doctor if you need to take a supplement.
What to eat:
- Fatty seafood (like fatty salmon, mackerel, cod liver oil, seabass, shrimp, trout, herring, oysters, sardines, and caviar). The best source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Tryptophan and tyrosine which help produce melatonin and serotonin.
- Nuts (especially walnuts), seaweed and algae, Seeds and beans (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans, kidney beans, soybean oil). Omega-3 fatty acid. Tryptophan and tyrosine.
- Folate keeps your brain sharp and prevents Alzheimer’s. Tryptophan and tyrosine.
- Coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, sesame oil. Omega-6 prevents Alzheimer’s, brain inflammation, and depression.
Some fats are not good for your brain. Limit your consumption of saturated fats (found in red meat and dairy) to improve your memory and stay sharp. Avoid foods high in trans fats that reduce serotonin production, leading to depression and memory loss. Trans fats are formed naturally when animals (like cattle, sheep, and goats) digest grass – ending up in meat and dairy. Some foods which claim they are trans fats free on the label actually still contain a small amount – so, you should also look for partially hydrogenated oils on the food label.
Avoid swordfish and tuna as they are high in mercury, a neurotoxin that causes memory problems and poor thinking skills; and Canola oil, which is linked to memory problems.
Proteins
Proteins are incredibly important to get nutrients to your brain cells – helping 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.
What to eat:
- Tofu and other soy-based products. Improves cognitive and executive function in older adults. Near-complete protein. High fibre helps to keep your memory healthy and protects your brain as you get older. Tyrosine amino acid helps you produce serotonin (the ‘happy chemical’). Can eat 4 adult portions per day.
- Nutrients 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.
- High in choline, and vitamins B6 and B12.
- 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. Free of added refined sugars and artificial sweeteners which damage your brain.
Fruit and Veg
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.
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
- Cacao/Cocoa (70%+ sugar-free dark chocolate) – Tryptophan releases Serotonin, improving mood. Polyphenols and flavanols increase brain blood flow, helps form neurons & synapses.
Avoid processed fruit products with added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners, or 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, 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.
