5 Types of Food To Start Eating Immediately For Better Brain Power

We have talked a lot about the best foods to be eating to boost your brain health. A lot of this is because diet plays such a huge role in how well you are able to maintain cognitive health. Food is more than fuel – food provides raw materials that the body uses to repair and regenerate itself, keeping your tissues working as they should.

When you start viewing food as something that can nourish and take care of your body and not just something that can either cause weight gain or loss, you might just find your approach to eating changes.

We live in a society where food tends to be glorified. We are all out to find the next best-tasting dish, but in all this we forget the real purpose of food. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to eat foods that taste delicious, you shouldn’t leave the healthy aspect of these foods in the background.

It’s time to reverse this and eat for function first and taste second. It’s hard, I know. You’ve probably been seeking out delicious treats since you were two years old. But now is the time to really consider what eating the right way can do for you.

So, this all being said, let’s get back to the best foods to boost the brain. Certain foods do have nutrients that go above and beyond. Some we’ve talked about here before, so this will be a refresher – with more details. It’s always good to know and be reminded of what you should focus on.

Leafy Greens

We all know that vegetables are good for you. There really isn’t a vegetable that is considered unhealthy. Some do shine brighter than others, but you’ll never really go wrong eating vegetables.

As far as your brain health goes, however, the spotlight goes to green vegetables. Kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, and bok choy are jam-packed with nutrition and will definitely do a great number on your health and well-being.

They are filled with important nutrients for your brain such as vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta-carotene, all of which can help to prevent the typical cognitive decline that can occur with aging.

Remember that if you do no harm to your body, it’s still changing. It’s easy to think that you’ll just maintain the status quo. If you aren’t doing anything bad, things won’t change, right?

Very wrong. Your body is changing. Right this minute. You are growing older and your cells are adjusting. You need to continually look for new and improved ways to support better health in order to be able to stay one step ahead.

Leafy greens will help you do just that.

Fatty Fish

Salmon is one of the most-talked-about foods when it comes to brain health. Salmon not only loads you up with a good dose of protein, which will help maximize cell turnover, but it also provides omega-3 fatty acids.

These fatty acids are important for helping reduce inflammation in the body – and the brain – and for keeping you disease free.

Omega-3 fatty acids may also help to decrease the levels of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain that can form clumps and cause damage to the brain. This is often seen in those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

The good news is that if salmon isn’t your thing, there are other fatty fish varieties out there that can be eaten instead. Some good examples include salmon, cod, and pollock.

It really is important that you try and eat fatty fish at least once per week. Even if you don’t naturally like it, try and do so for the sake of your health. Beyond that, if you don’t eat fish more often, consider supplementation with fish oil capsules.

It’s one of the best supplements that you can take.

Berries

Many people think of berries as only being available on a seasonal basis, but don’t forget that they are actually available year-round in frozen or even dried forms.

Berries pack in a load of antioxidants that keep the brain fresh and can help enhance your memory and cognitive abilities.

They’re also rich in flavonoids that may help to lower the risk of memory decline with age, so that’s another reason to be adding them to your diet.

Berries also make a great sweet treat and may even keep you from eating other foods you shouldn’t. So, that’s another great reason to add them to your diet plan.

Tea And Coffee

It’s time to stop feeling guilty for drinking that coffee. While green tea may be slightly better than coffee in terms of giving your brain a boost, both beverages are going to give you a nice lift.

This is because the caffeine that’s found in these drinks will not only boost your alertness for the few hours after you’ve taken it, but it will also help to improve your overall mental function over the long haul.

You will likely find that if you get caffeine into your day more regularly, you don’t suffer from as much of a memory decline as you would if you weren’t taking in caffeine.

Just keep in mind that you can have too much of a good thing. While some caffeine is good and may be helpful, too much caffeine will cause you to become dependent on it, and you’ll feel like you can’t function without it. This may lead to burnout and higher levels of fatigue down the road.

Use caffeine, but don’t abuse it.

Walnuts

Finally, try and get some walnuts added to your day. These are great sprinkled on salads, but they can also be used in baking, added to oatmeal, or just eaten on their own when you need a quick snack.

Like fatty varieties of fish, walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, walnuts boast a particular kind of fatty acid called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which may help to keep your blood pressure under control and can prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Finally, consumption of walnuts has also been linked to higher memory capacities, so that’s yet another reason to consider adding them in.

So, there you have a few of the key things to know and remember when it comes to the best foods to eat to boost brain health. Remember that the little choices you make through the day really do add up.

Ask yourself if you’re making the right ones.