{"id":1555,"date":"2021-09-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/uncategorized\/foods-to-boost-your-brainpower\/"},"modified":"2022-05-04T05:16:28","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T05:16:28","slug":"foods-to-boost-your-brainpower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/cospedia\/foods-to-boost-your-brainpower","title":{"rendered":"Foods to Boost your Brainpower"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Want to achieve top performance at work and boost your brainpower? The first place to look is down at your plate. Nutrition is important &#8211; 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 <em>\u2018Brain Foods\u2019<\/em> \u2013 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\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s dive into the science of <em>Brain Foods<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s Talk Carbs and Grains<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Carbs-and-grains-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Carbs-and-grains-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Carbs-and-grains-1-300x180.png.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Carbs-and-grains-1-768x461.png.avif 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Carbs-and-grains-1.png 1000w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Carbs-and-grains-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Carbs-and-grains-1-768x461.png 768w&quot;}\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019t feel the need to reach for those snacks to keep your brain on task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What to eat:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Oats (or baking substitute oat flour). The low<strong>&nbsp;glycemic index (GI) <\/strong><em>releases energy slowly, helping you stay focused throughout the day. <\/em><strong>Tyrosine<\/strong><em> and<\/em> <strong>Tryptophan <\/strong><em>help produce melatonin and serotonin &#8211; aiding sleep, reducing anxiety &amp; depression, regulating appetite, helping manage pain tolerance.<\/em><\/li><li>Brown rice (or brown rice noodles), buckwheat. <strong>Low GI. B vitamins<\/strong>&nbsp;are&nbsp;<em>essential to energy production, production of neurotransmitters, preventing depression.<\/em><\/li><li>Whole Grains (pasta, or sprouted bread). <strong>Fibre <\/strong><em>a happy gut improves cognitive function, mental health.<\/em><strong> Choline<\/strong><em> aids neurotransmitter acetylcholine to help with sleep regulation.<\/em> <strong>Low GI.<\/strong><\/li><li>Legumes ( beans, chickpeas, and peas). <em>High <\/em><strong>fibre<\/strong><em>. <\/em><strong>Low GI.<\/strong> <strong>Folic Acid <\/strong><em>improves memory, prevents Alzheimer&#8217;s.<\/em><\/li><li>Quinoa and Teff. <strong>Low GI<\/strong>. <em>High<\/em><strong> fibre<\/strong>. <strong>Vitamins including Vitamin B2<\/strong><em> for a healthy brain.<\/em><\/li><li>Fresh fruits and vegetables. <strong>High fibre. Vitamins &amp; Nutrients. Antioxidants <\/strong><em>improve brain cell communication, reduce inflammation, form new connections, boost learning &amp; memory.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Eat the wrong carbs, and you will go into a \u2018brain fog\u2019 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 \u2018hit\u2019 of energy and stripped of nutrients. Unfortunately, all rollercoasters must come down and you will soon feel a \u2018crash\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking to lose weight? <em>Don\u2019t<\/em> 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 \u2018good\u2019 carbs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your Brain Loves Good Fat<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Good-Fat-1-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Good-Fat-1-1.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Good-Fat-1-1-300x180.png.avif 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Good-Fat-1-1.png 500w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Good-Fat-1-1-300x180.png 300w&quot;}\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know up to 70% of your brain is made of fat? Your brain depends upon it! <em>Fatty acids<\/em> are building for our bodies and brains &#8211; they build cell membranes and have an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Some <em>fatty acids<\/em>&nbsp;are called <em>essential<\/em> fatty acids, your body needs help to produce them \u2013 you need to get them from your diet. Three <em>essential<\/em> 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 \u2013 so, if you can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What to eat:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fatty seafood (like fatty salmon, mackerel, cod liver oil, seabass, shrimp, trout, herring, oysters, sardines, and caviar). <em>The best source of <\/em><strong>Omega-3 fatty acids<\/strong>. <strong>Tryptophan and tyrosine <\/strong><em>which help produce melatonin and serotonin<\/em>.<\/li><li>Nuts (especially walnuts), seaweed and algae, Seeds and beans (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans, kidney beans, soybean oil).<strong> Omega-3 fatty acid. Tryptophan and tyrosine.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Folate<\/strong> <em>keeps your brain sharp and prevents Alzheimer\u2019s. <\/em><strong>Tryptophan and tyrosine.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li><li>Coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, sesame oil. <strong>Omega-6 <\/strong><em>prevents Alzheimer\u2019s, brain inflammation, and depression.&nbsp;<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some fats are <em>not<\/em> good for your brain. Limit your consumption of <em>saturated fats<\/em> (found in&nbsp;red meat and dairy) to improve your memory and stay sharp. Avoid foods high in <em>trans fats<\/em> that reduce serotonin production, leading to depression and memory loss. <em>Trans fats<\/em> are formed naturally when animals (like cattle, sheep, and goats) digest grass &#8211; ending up in meat and dairy. Some foods which claim they are <em>trans fats free<\/em> on the label actually still contain a small amount &#8211; so, you should also look for <em>partially hydrogenated oils<\/em> on the food label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid swordfish and tuna as they are high in <em>mercury<\/em>, a neurotoxin that causes memory problems and poor thinking skills; and Canola oil, which is linked to memory problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Proteins<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Protein-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Protein-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Protein-1-300x180.png.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Protein-1-768x461.png.avif 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Protein-1.png 1000w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Protein-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Protein-1-768x461.png 768w&quot;}\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Proteins are incredibly important to get nutrients to your brain cells &#8211; 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 <em>essential <\/em>nutrients that your body cannot make by itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What to eat:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Tofu and other soy-based products.<em> Improves cognitive and executive function in older adults. <\/em><strong>Near-complete protein. <\/strong><em>High <\/em><strong>fibre <\/strong><em>helps to keep your memory healthy and protects your brain as you get older<\/em><strong>.<\/strong> <strong>Tyrosine<\/strong> <em>amino acid helps you produce serotonin (the \u2018happy chemical\u2019). Can eat 4 adult portions per day.<\/em><\/li><li><strong>Nutrients <\/strong><em>including<\/em><strong> vitamins B6 and B12, folate <\/strong><em>and<\/em> <strong>choline<\/strong><em> (a micronutrient that your body uses to create acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory).<\/em> <em>A healthy person can eat up to 3 eggs per day.&nbsp;<\/em><\/li><li><em>High in <\/em><strong>choline<\/strong><em>, and <\/em><strong>vitamins<\/strong> <strong>B6<\/strong><em> and <\/em><strong>B12<\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><li>Fatty seafood (seafood products like fatty wild-caught salmon, mackerel, cod liver oil, seabass, shrimp, trout, herring, oysters, sardines, and caviar).<\/li><li>Nuts (especially walnuts), seeds and beans (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans, kidney beans, soybean oil).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Natural protein powders like pea protein powder. <em>Free of added refined sugars and artificial sweeteners which damage your brain.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fruit and Veg<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Fruit-and-Veg-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Fruit-and-Veg-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Fruit-and-Veg-1-300x180.png.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2022\/05\/Fruit-and-Veg-1-768x461.png.avif 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Fruit-and-Veg-1.png 1000w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Fruit-and-Veg-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\\\/\\\/www.cos.net.au\\\/c\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/Fruit-and-Veg-1-768x461.png 768w&quot;}\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What to eat:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Broccoli, beetroot, avocadoes, pumpkin seeds and seaweed<\/li><li>Berries (particularly blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, mulberries)<\/li><li>Other fruit (especially grapes, pomegranates, cherries, bananas, kiwis, apples, clementine\u2019s and oranges)<\/li><li>Green leafy vegetables (particularly kale, spinach, collards, brussels sprouts)<\/li><li>Tomatoes, avocados and cucumbers<\/li><li>Other roots (especially turmeric, garlic, onion, ginger, carrot, yams, sweet potatoes and potatoes (in moderation and cooked in a healthy way \u2013 for example steamed)<\/li><li>Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin<\/li><li>Celery and asparagus<\/li><li>Seaweed and algae<\/li><li>Acai, cinnamon, coconut<\/li><li>Cacao\/Cocoa (70%+ sugar-free dark chocolate) &#8211; <strong>Tryptophan<\/strong><em> releases Serotonin, improving mood.<\/em><strong> Polyphenols<\/strong><em> and <\/em><strong>flavanols <\/strong><em>increase brain blood flow, helps form neurons &amp; synapses.&nbsp;<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid processed fruit products with added refined sugar or artificial sweeteners, or high in unhealthy fats. And it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<div class='watch-action'><div class='watch-position align-left'><div class='action-like'><a class='lbg-style3 like-1555 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='like' data-post_id='1555' data-nonce='3c6d52cef8' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='Did you find this useful?' \/><span class='lc-1555 lc'>0<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class='action-unlike'><a class='unlbg-style3 unlike-1555 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='unlike' data-post_id='1555' data-nonce='3c6d52cef8' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='' \/><span class='unlc-1555 unlc'>0<\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <div class='status-1555 status align-left'><\/div><\/div><div class='wti-clear'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to achieve top performance at work and boost your brainpower? The first place to look is down at your plate. Nutrition is important &#8211; 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 \u2018Brain &#8230; <a title=\"Foods to Boost your Brainpower\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/cospedia\/foods-to-boost-your-brainpower\" aria-label=\"Read more about Foods to Boost your Brainpower\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,31,8],"tags":[1235,1283,1284,1285,1061,1286,1049,1287,1288,1289,1290,436,1291,125,1292,1293,1294,934,157,1295,1296,1297,1298,1053,1244,1299,1300,1301],"class_list":["post-1555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cospedia","category-health-wellbeing","category-productivity","tag-boost-productivity","tag-boost-your-brainpower","tag-brain-food","tag-brain-foods","tag-business","tag-diet","tag-easy-recipes","tag-fibrous-food","tag-food","tag-food-for-productivity","tag-fruits-and-veggies","tag-health","tag-health-and-wellness","tag-health-benefits","tag-healthy-diet","tag-meal-preparation","tag-memory-retention","tag-mental-health","tag-motivation","tag-nutrition","tag-nutritional-food","tag-prevent-dementia","tag-protein-diet","tag-recipes","tag-stay-focused","tag-thinking-ability","tag-weekly-budget","tag-what-to-eat-to-be-more-productive"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1555"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15813,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1555\/revisions\/15813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}