Five Food Items to Boost Your Brain Health

Do you know that some foods can make you smarter? In fact, there are lots of food items that improve your capacity for learning, concentrating, memorising, and understanding. So, here are some food items that boost your brain health.

In today’s day and age, where sometimes life can be quite stressful, it’s very important to take care of your mental health along with your physical health. The brain perhaps is the most important organ of your body and just like other parts of the body, the brain also needs proper nutrition to keep it healthy. In earlier times, there were lots of stigmas related to mental health but today most of us are aware of the importance of good mental health to lead to a fruitful life. Here we have listed down five food items that help in improving your brain health.

Fatty Fish

If you are a non-vegetarian, then fatty fish is one of the best food items for good brain health. In fact, when it comes to brain food items, fatty fish is on the top because it contains omega-3 fatty acids. For those who don’t know, 60% of our brain is fat and out of that almost half is omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3s are used by the brain to create nerve cells along with being important for learning and memory. If the brain does not get enough omega-3s then problems such as learning impairments and depression may arise. The oil present in fatty fish contains omega-3 fatty acids and it helps a lot to improve brain health. Having fatty fish regularly can slow the process of brain ageing also.

Nuts

Nuts contain various nutrients such as healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamin E which are quite beneficial for boosting our brain health. Monounsaturated fat and vitamin E present in nuts protect the brain from degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s by suppressing brain cell-damaging elements known as free radicals. Regular consumption of nuts lowers the risk of cognitive decline in older people. All kinds of nuts are good for your brain health but walnuts have an extra edge as they contain omega-3 fatty acids, one of the most important nutrients for good brain health.

Eggs

Eggs are a good source of nutrients like vitamins B6 and B12, folate, and choline which are good for your brain health. Among all the nutrients present in eggs, choline is quite vital for good brain health as it helps in the development of the memory center. Egg yolks are the main source of choline and as per researchers per day men need 550 mg of choline and women need 425 mg of choline. Eggs containing vitamin B also help to slow down the process of mental decline in older people by curtailing levels of an amino acid called homocysteine that causes problems such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Lack of two types of B vitamins — folate and B12 may lead to depression and eggs contain both of these vitamins.

Coffee

If you start your day with a cup of coffee, then it’s good news for you because coffee is a good source of two components, caffeine, and antioxidants which are good for your brain health. Caffeine helps to keep your brain alert as it blocks a chemical called adenosine that makes people feel sleepy. Caffeine also improves mood by boosting a few of your “feel-good” neurotransmitters, like dopamine along with sharpening concentration by creating short-term improvements in attention and alertness. Regularly drinking coffee decreases the risk of neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Olive

Olive and olive oil help in lowering the deterioration of the brain over time because of the mono-unsaturated fat content in olives. It’s a healthy fat that helps in the transportation of more oxygen to the brain. Eating olives regularly helps to decrease oxidative stress caused by inflammation and protects the tissues of your brain. Olives are also a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that improves cognition and decreases the risk of cognitive decline. Cooking food in olive oil lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older people.