Caring for your brain is essential, especially nowadays when everything around us (pollution, chemicals in foods, etc.) is threatening our brain’s health. This pushes scientists to do as much research as possible to find solutions to improve the brain’s health. While there is no magical pill to consume for optimal brainpower, there could be many small solutions that a person can adopt. One of these solutions could be being physically active, keeping the brain busy with tasks and consuming the right foods. In this article, we will talk about some of the foods that can give you stronger brainpower.
1- LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES
Vegetables that are green and leafy, such as collards, spinach, broccoli, and kale are filled with nutrients such as lutein, folate, Vitamin K, and beta carotene which are essential for the brain. Some research has proven that plant-based foods like these, can slow down cognitive decline.
2- FATTY FISH
Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are considered healthy and unsaturated fats. These have been proven to lower the beta-amyloids in blood, which is a protein that could form clumps that are damaging in the brain of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Eating fish at least two times weekly is important for your brain, however, try to choose varieties of fish, which are low in mercury. You can pick among cod, salmon, pollack and canned light tuna. In case fish is not something you like to consume, you can consult your doctor to start taking omega-3 supplements. You can also consume other sources of this fatty acid such as avocados, walnuts and flaxseeds.
3- BERRIES
Berries are rich in flavonoids, which are natural plant pigments giving the fruits their brilliant hues. This component, according to research, helps improve memory. A 2012 study published in Annals of Neurology, done by researchers from Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital was able to conclude, that women consuming at least 2 servings of blueberries and strawberries weekly can delay memory decline by two to two years and a half.
4- TEA AND COFFEE
Caffeine found in tea and coffee can not only make you alert and improve your concentration for a short-term period. A study published in 2014 in The Journal of Nutrition, found that people who consumed more caffeine, had better scores in their tests of mental function, than those who did not. Caffeine can also improve your recall of memories. Johns Hopkins University’s investigators conducted a study, where they show participants several images, before giving them a 200-milligram caffeine tablet, or a placebo. Participants who consumed caffeine were able to identify the images correctly the following day.
5- WALNUTS
Nuts are filled with proteins and other healthy fats. There is one type of nuts that can affect specifically the memory. A UCLA study has found that high consumption of walnut can improve scores in cognitive tests. This is because walnuts are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that helps protect arteries and lower blood pressure.
