Whether you want to consume enough vitamins or just keep your brain health in check, there is a diet to follow. Here are some of the best foods to buy on the next trip to the grocery store to upgrade your brain!
Berries
A vast list of berries can prevent memory loss and prevent illnesses. Some doctors recommend eating them when one craves sugary snacks. Why? Well, this food has a lot of flavonoids. An old study watched participants eat blueberries and strawberries – and this is the best food for stopping mental decline as years go by. How much should one human eat for optimum brain health? Two servings of berries a week is enough for one adult. Of course, it’s not just for the brain. Other advantages of making those fruits your routine include amazing concentration, cognition, and memory. One study referenced by Rutgers University found that it increases blood flow to the brain.
Apart from flavonoids, antioxidants are an essential ingredient in berries. A study published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care explained that eating them prevents mental degradation. In fact, it preserves the abilities of neurons over the years, as well as minimizes any incoming damage from stressors.
Fish
Consumers that want a more solid basis for their brains can include bigger potions of oily fish on their menu. It’s a source of omega-3 fatty acids that help build membranes around different cells of the body. That includes brain cells, too. That said, oily fish creates a stronger structure of brain cells – neurons. Just like with berries, fish increases blood flow to the brain, per a 2017 study. Higher omega-3 levels also mean better cognition.
Dark Chocolate
Want something sweeter than fruits and berries? Try dark chocolate! It contains cocoa, or cacao, which also has antioxidants – it’s essential for brain health. When our brain is stressed, its antioxidant level falls tremendously. That effect adds to age-related cognitive decline and causes brain diseases. In 2013, cacao flavonoids were found to aid neuron and blood vessel growth where the brain works on memory and learning. Furthermore, it works on the blood flow of the brain as much as berries and fish! In a 2018 study, participants ate dark chocolate with 70% cacao and more. Their brains gained more plasticity, which boosts the ability to learn and had a few other benefits for the brain.
Nuts And Seeds
In addition to dark chocolate, you might want to add nuts and seeds to your daily food intake. These are the best food containing omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. With time, high nut intake improves brain functions as the person ages, per a 2014 study. To top off that, nuts and seeds contain the antioxidant vitamin E, which protects cells from free radicals and stress. When aging, the human brain becomes very sensitive to that kind of oxidative stress, so vitamin E is a perfect solution. Also, it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
So, there are a lot of best foods to choose from for brain protection. Don’t neglect this list – it doesn’t take much to add some of these ingredients to your daily menu.
Sources: Eat This, Medical News Today, MSN