Best Brain Foods: The Ultimate List of 11 Foods for Brain Health
Eating the best kinds of foods can have a huge impact on brain health.
Studies show that brain foods matter (especially for our gray matter).
Foods that are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals help protect against brain diseases.
In this post, we’ll discuss a list of the best brain foods to eat to improve brain health, sharpness, and memory.
Let’s dive in.
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the most versatile oil, and it is perfect for your brain health.
It works as a natural product to decrease inflammation by suppressing the cells that cause inflammation to occur.
It also helps with memory loss with age and destroys the bad bacteria in your gut too.
According to research done by Nutricion Hospitalaria, coconut oil improves the cognitive ability of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study done by The New York Academy of Sciences shows that ketones and MCTs present in coconut oil can increase memory capabilities.
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
True extra virgin olive oil is truly one of the best brain foods and fuel.
This is because extra virgin olive oil contains a depth of antioxidants known as polyphenols.
By including extra virgin olive oil in your diet, not only will you improve learning and memory but also reverse age-related changes.
The oil also helps to combat ADDLs, proteins that are toxic to the brain, and cause Alzheimer’s.
3. Salmon
Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. This makes it one of the best and most powerful brain foods for mental energy and concentration.
Studies link healthy fats to a lengthy list of health benefits. These include reduced inflammation and improved heart health.
Emerging research has also shown that eating more of foods with omega-3 fatty acids could help enhance memory and improve brain function.
4. Broccoli
From its amazing fiber content to its wealth of essential vitamins and minerals, there are a lot of reasons to eat your broccoli.
But did you know that broccoli will help to keep you sharp and improve your brain capacity as well?
In terms of memory, broccoli is high in choline, an important nutrient with powerful benefits.
Research suggests that choline is involved in cognitive output, brain growth, and even memory function.
5. Green Tea
Just what you need to get your day started on the right foot and improve your productivity can be a cup of green tea in the morning.
Studies show that green tea may have some pretty strong effects on the brain.
Some of these effects include:
- reduced anxiety
- improved memory
- increased attention
Related: Drinking Ceylon Tea Improves Brain and Body Function. Here’s How.
6. Dark Chocolate
Good news for lovers of chocolate: this tasty sweet treat enters the list of top best brain foods, giving you even more incentive to indulge.
One of the reasons why dark chocolate is so good for your brain is that it contains caffeine that can help increase energy, focus, and alertness levels.
7. Almonds
This list of best brain foods will not be complete without healthy nuts.
A study has also found that consuming almonds regularly may increase acetylcholine levels, a form of neurotransmitter that enhances memory and learning.
Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which is a powerful nutrient necessary for protecting the brain from aging.
Related: Eating Peeled Almonds Benefits Your Health in These 7 Ways
8. Eggs
Eggs are powerful brain food, especially when eaten at breakfast.
Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that, relative to a high-carb breakfast, a high-protein breakfast contributed to higher reductions in ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating appetite.
This means you’re going to remain fuller for longer, helping you to concentrate and improve brain function.
9. Beet Root Juice
Beets have high concentrations of nitrates
Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds that serve as vasodilators to improve blood flow and help improve brain health
10. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are digested slowly. They are full of complex carbohydrates which encourage satiety and balance blood sugar.
Sweet potatoes also provide you with a steady supply of energy to help your brain function at its best.
An extremely nutrient-dense food, sweet potatoes are also a particularly good source of vitamin A and vitamin C, both of which have been shown to play a role in brain function.
11. Coffee
Researchers at the Medical University Innsbruck in Austria examined coffee’s impact on memory.
In the study, some participants consumed 100mg of caffeine. This is about the same amount in one cup of beverage. The other participants got a placebo.
Both groups performed similar memory tasks and brain activity was measured using functional MRI.
Those who consumed caffeine did better. They had higher brain activity than the control group.
The researchers found that coffee helped boost the short-term memory of the participants. Caffeine acts on memory and concentration centers in the brain.
This causes increased activity and improvement in short-term memory. The duration of effects may vary by person.
Takeaway
Your brain is a very essential organ of your body so you must give it healthy brain foods so it can work at its best.
It’s in charge of keeping your heart racing and lungs breathing as the control core of your body and allowing you to move, feel, and think.
That’s why maintaining the brain in optimum working condition is a smart idea.
In keeping your brain healthy, the foods you consume play a role and can enhance specific mental tasks, such as memory and concentration.
We’ve discussed the list of the best brain foods to eat.
Some of these foods have antioxidants that help protect your brain from damage. For example fruits and vegetables in this list, as well as tea and coffee.
Others provide nutrients that promote memory and brain growth, such as nuts and eggs.
By strategically incorporating these foods into your diet, you can help improve brain health. And also increase your alertness, memory, and mood.
Eat these foods to keep your brain healthy.
