From our heart and lungs, to our stomach, skin and teeth, we spend a lot of time concentrating on our health. But as a society, we seem to neglect our brain health.
Good brain health is key for optimised cognitive, emotional, psychological and behavioural function – you could argue it’s the most important part of the body to keep in check.
There are many ways to boost your brain health. Exercise, reading, playing games, engaging in conversation are all ways to keep our brain active and healthy. But an even simpler way to ensure our brain is in tip top condition is by paying attention to the food we eat.
If you’re looking to boost your brain health, here are some of the best foods you can eat:
Omega-3 rich fish
About 60% of your brain is made of fat, and half of that fat is omega-3 fatty acids which we use to build brain and nerve cells. These fats are essential for learning and memory and it’s thought eating fish rich in omega-3 can help reduce the chance of you developing Alzheimer’s and can help to keep the brain young.
Coffee
Coffee contains caffeine and antioxidants – two things that can help support brain health. Long-term coffee drinking is also linked to a reduced risk of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Just don’t drink so much that you can’t sleep!
Blueberries
It’s a well known fact that blueberries contain antioxidants, which combat oxidative stress and inflammation, two things linked to brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. But what you might not know is that some of the antioxidants in blueberries have been found to accumulate in the brain and can help improve communication between brain cells.
Turmeric
Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, an antioxidant that crosses the blood-brain barrier and can potentially help new brain cells grow, boost memory and even ease depression.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are another food that are an excellent source of antioxidants that protect the body and brain from free-radical damage. They’re also an excellent source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.
Dark chocolate
Cocoa powder is packed with a few brain-boosting compounds, including flavonoids, caffeine, and antioxidants. Because dark chocolate has 70% or higher cocoa content, compared to milk chocolate’s 10-50%, dark chocolate is the one to go for.
The flavonoids in dark chocolate gather in the areas of the brain that deal with learning and memory and could potentially help slow down age-related mental decline.
Nuts
Research has found that regular consumption of nuts could be linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline in older adults and the various nutrients in nuts, such as healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamin E, may explain their beneficial effects on brain health.
Oranges
Oranges are a fantastic source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off the free radicals that can damage brain cells. It also supports brain health as you age and may protect against conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Having higher levels of vitamin C in your bloodstream has also been associated with improvements in tasks involving focus, memory, attention, and decision speed.
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