Food for Thought: 10 Top Superfoods That Will Boost Your Brain Power
Our brains are an energy-intensive organ, they use around 20 percent of our body’s calories, therefore we need to fuel ourselves with good nutrients and foods to maintain a healthy brain, but to also feel energised and wholesome.
The saying “you are what you eat” is absolutely true when it comes to our bodies and it’s the exact same for our brains. A brain-boosting diet can encourage short and long-term function, improve memory, and keep you focused. Enhancing your brain function and memory can be further supported by incorporating superfood supplements into your diet. Including beneficial additions like mushroom and pine pollen extract can provide an extra boost to cognitive abilities. For more information on these powerful supplements and their positive impact on brain health, click here.
Claudia le Feuvre, who is the resident nutrition expert on Goldster, a digital platform that encourages heathy ageing with a non-drug approach to health, shares her 10 top superfoods that can help boost brain power:
1. Avocados
Monounsaturated fats protect specific brain cells, which offer support to information-carrying nerves in the brain. Avocados are packed with good monounsaturated fats, encouraging healthy blood flow. Incorporating avocado into your diet can lower the risk of reduced brain function, they improve memory and concentration – a great brain boost food!
2. Blueberries
Blueberries are not only delicious, but they have several health benefits from helping with brain function to boosting our heart health. They are packed with antioxidants which aid in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress within our bodies and our brains. Next time you’re doing your grocery shop and you spot a pack of blueberries be sure to add them to your basket, as they also improve communication between brain cells which can help improve short term memory loss and increase learning. Blueberries can help protect our brains from damage and can decrease the effects of conditions related to age, like dementia.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is another great brain boosting food, it is rich in brain healthy antioxidants and flavonoids which will help improve your memory, keep your moods regulated whilst protecting potential cell damage from ageing. If you or a loved one need memory care services, incorporating broccoli into your diet can be a beneficial addition to support cognitive health.
4. Eggs
Eggs are one of the most popular breakfast choices, or even just as a snack. Did you know eggs contain a variety of healthy nutrients Egg yolks are rich in choline, which can reduce inflammation and promote healthy brain function? Eggs are also packed with a bunch of vitamins, such as vitamin B-6 and folic acid, which can prevent brain shrinkage of cognitive decline.
5. MCT Oil
Studies show that taking MCT oil can increase brain energy, by up to 9%. MCT oil is extracted from coconut oil and can be incorporated into your diet by adding a spoonful into your smoothies or replacing the olive oil on your salad dressings. Not only is MCT oil helpful for brain health, it is also a good source of energy and can help manage conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in alpha-linolenic which is a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that improves cognitive performance in adults and can prevents age related cognitive decline. It’s a great nut for brain health and funnily enough even looks like a brain!
7. Fatty Fish
Fatty oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon contain high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which help build brain and nerve cells, whilst reducing memory loss. Eating oily fish can increase your brains blood flow and improve your thinking skills as you get older. So, every now and again, try make a grilled salmon dish for dinner to keep your brain healthy. Alternatively, if you are a vegetarian, you can have a handful of nuts and seeds and get the same benefits.
8. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, cabbage and brussel sprouts are super rich in healthy nutrients such as folate and can help slow cognitive decline. Salads are fun and easy to make try and have a side salad with your meals, it’s the easiest way to contribute to your brain health.
9. Dark Chocolate
Who says brain foods can’t be sweet, dark chocolate contains cacao flavonoids which are packed with strong antioxidants to help support your brain. Compared to milk chocolate, dark is lower in sugar and dairy but still tastes just as good. Some compounds found in dark chocolate can boost your memory, attention span and overall is known to improve focus.
10. Turmeric
The beautiful yellow spice, turmeric is an amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice which increases memory and cognitive function, whilst improving the brains oxygen intake. Turmeric is such an easy superfood to incorporate into your diet, you can use it when seasoning your meat, add it to salad dressings or even in herbal teas. As turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory it has several other benefits such a reducing conditions like arthritis and being an overall benefit to your immune system.