Foods rich in essential brain nutrients will not only protect you from various mental disorders, but also help prevent degenerative brain diseases.
Wrong food, such as sugar and trans fats can lead to mental fogginess, anxiety and depression, while the right foods can help keep your mental faculties sharp and you positive and productive. Such food is called brain food! These are foods that contain many nutrients necessary for the creation, protection and regeneration of brain cells. They are also important for neurotransmitters – the brain chemicals that control how well you learn and how good your memory is, how happy and motivated you are, and how much you can relax and enjoy life.
They are in front of you superior brain foods, which you should try to include in your daily diet!
Fatty fish
Oily fish are usually at the top of the list brain food. These are trout, salmon and sardines, all of which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which our brain uses to build brain and nerve cells, and are also crucial for learning and memory. They can slow the decline of mental abilities and help with Alzheimer's disease. However, if we consume too little of them, we can face learning difficulties and depression.
Blueberries
Blueberries are said to have many health benefits, including being good for our brains. Mainly because blueberries and berries are full of anthocyanins, which is a group of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. As we know, antioxidants work against oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions that can contribute to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Some antioxidants from blueberries have even been found to accumulate in the brain and help improve communication between brain cells.
Coffee
If coffee the highlight of your morning, you will surely be glad if we trust you that it is supposed to be good for you. The two main ingredients – caffeine and antioxidants – actually help the brain. Caffeine is said to increase alertness, improve mood, and ensure stronger concentration. Longer-term coffee drinking is even said to be associated with a lower risk of developing neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. This is said to be at least partly due to the high concentration of antioxidants in coffee.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain several compounds that can stimulate brain function, including flavonoids, caffeine and antioxidants. Flavonoids, a group of antioxidant compounds, accumulate in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Therefore, scientists believe that these compounds can improve memory and help slow the decline of mental abilities. Of course, chocolate is also a legitimate mood enhancer, but it's still unclear whether this is due to the compounds in chocolate or simply the taste itself.
Broccoli
Broccoli is full of powerful plant compounds, including antioxidants. It is also rich in vitamin K, as it is said to provide more than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake per meal (91 grams). This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the production of sphingolipids, a type of fat involved in brain cells. Vitamin intake is mainly associated with better memory. Broccoli also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that can help protect the brain from damage.
Turmeric
This yellow spice has many benefits for our brain. It has been proven that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, crosses the blood-brain barrier, meaning it can directly enter the brain and benefit the cells. It is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound associated with many benefits for the brain, including improving memory, relieving depression, and helping to grow new brain cells.
Eggs
Eggs they contain several nutrients related to brain health, including vitamins B6 and B12, folate and choline. Choline is an important micronutrient that our body uses to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory. Eggs are an easy way to obtain choline, as the yolks are among the most concentrated sources of this nutrient. Women should consume 425 mg of choline per day, men 550 mg, and just one egg yolk contains 112 mg. Vitamin B also plays an important role in brain health, as it helps prevent the decline of mental abilities, and its deficiency is associated with depression.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are known for their strong antioxidants, which protect the body and burns from free radical damage. They are also a great resource magnesium, iron, zinc and copper, each of these is important for brain health. Zinc is crucial for nerve signaling, magnesium is essential for learning and memory, copper helps control nerve signals, and iron prevents "brain fog" and helps the brain function better. The lack of all these elements can lead to many neurological diseases such as migraine, depression, epilepsy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Oranges
If you eat one medium-sized orange a day, you'll get it all vitamin C, which you need on a daily basis. Vitamin C is a key factor in preventing the decline of brain abilities. Thus, eating foods rich in vitamin C can protect against age-related decline in mental abilities and Alzheimer's disease. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radicals and supports brain health.
Nuts
Research has shown that enjoyment can nuts improves heart health, and a healthy heart is linked to a healthy brain. A 2014 study showed that nuts can improve brain function and even help prevent neurodegenerative diseases. Another study found that women who regularly ate nuts for several years had a sharper memory compared to those who did not eat nuts. Nuts contain more nutrients than healthy fats, antioxidants and vitamin E. The latter protects the cell membrane from damage by free radicals and contributes to a slower decline in mental abilities.
