Healthy Foods To Improve Your Brain Health

The food you eat directly affects how your brain performs. By eating the best food, you may be able to boost your IQ, improve your mood, sharpen your memory and keep your mind active. Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. The brain requires nutrients much like your heart, lungs or muscles do.

A lot of what we hear about the interplay between diet and brain health is based on research and then flooded in hype. As headlines have linked one food or another to Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses, we've rushed to remove them from your diet. The problem is, as soon as one headline urges us to eat this, not too, it seems there's another saying quite contrary.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are all rich in choline, an essential nutrient for memory and brain health. Choline is really a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a role in healthy and efficient brain processes. As we age, our body's natural choline output declines, and its neurochemical action weakens. You are able to eat choline-rich foods to increase your production of acetylcholine, which will improve your brain power. 

Fish

Protein, an important component within the making of neurotransmitters, is essential to improve mental performance. Apart from being an excellent source of high quality protein, fish are full of essential oils, such as Omega-3, which protect the brain and supports its development and functioning. Deep sea fish have the highest levels of fatty acids, and they include salmon, sea bass, halibut, mackerel, and sardines.

Green Tea

Green tea prevents an enzyme present in Alzheimer's disease and is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent premature brain aging. Drink two cups a day to get the brain benefits. To decaf tea, steep for 45 seconds and pour the water, add fresh hot water to the leaves or tea bag - 95% of caffeine is going to be eliminated.

Sage

Not only does this aromatic herb (Salvia officinalis) add flavor and interest to your favorite dishes, but research indicates that supplementing with a gram of sage might enhance memory and overall thinking skills. You are able to incorporate sage as a supplement (check first with your physician or pharmacist to make sure that there are no interactions with medications), or use sage in cooking - it pairs well with chicken, lean burgers, white beans or lentil soups.

Blueberries

These delicious berries are filled with powerful antioxidants, which eliminate free-radical damage that causes aging, and in addition they possess neuroprotective properties that can delay the start of age-related memory loss by guarding brain cells from damage brought on by chemicals, plaque, or trauma. Plus they combat inflammation, the other element in aging. 

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are wonder foods for your brain. Full of protein and essential fatty acids, nuts and seeds are also chock full of the amino arginine, which energizes the pituitary gland at the base of the brain to produce growth hormone, a substance that declines quickly once you hit 35; this is a real anti-aging boon to your brain!