1 – Build Your Brain: Healthy Fats
The majority of the cell structure in the brain consists of healthy fats, including the most important healthy fats, called Omega-3 fatty acids. As the brain continues to fix itself and grow additional neurons, it needs a good amount of Omega-3s to be consumed.
The best food sources to get your Omega-3 from, in order of importance, are:
- Salmon
- Albacore tuna
- Flaxseed oil
- Canola oil
- Walnuts
- Wheatgerm
- Eggs
2 – Protect Your Brain: Antioxidants
As people get older, substances called free radicals, which are floating through the bloodstream, will break down the brain cells. If you don’t put up a fight, you’ll experience loss of memory as you age. However, there are a good deal of antioxidant food sources to choose from. Antioxidants will merge with these free radicals, turning them harmless. Several good sources of antioxidants include:
- Blueberries (other berries too)
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Red grapes
- Spinach
- Soy
- Tea
- Tomatoes
- Whole grains
3 – Spark Your Brain: High Tyrosine Proteins
Your brain doesn’t just have neurons, but also neurotransmitters, which are messengers that bring brain signals from one neuron to the next one. Your brain structure might be good, but if your neurotransmitters are insufficient, your brain won’t work right. Some parts of the neurotransmitters, like the tryptophan, are not able to be made by your body. Thus, you must consume food to get them. However, the body can make tyrosine, but you still need to get the proper foods into your diet.
The greatest sources of food to boost your alertness, concentration, and energy are:
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Soy
You already know that your body is made mostly of water. And you also know how easy it is to not consume much water and become dehydrated. Even a mild case of dehydration can reduce your mental energy and capacity, causing your memory to become impaired.
You should drink at least four liters of water each day, or six to eight 8-ounce glasses.
5 – Brain Building Blocks: Vitamins & Minerals
There are certain kinds of vitamins and minerals that are necessary building blocks for your brain. Of course, you don’t want to become vitamin deficient. So the vitamins and minerals very important to brain functions include:
- Vit. B6
- Vit. B12
- Vit. C
- Iron
- Calcium
Deficiencies of the above have been shown to cause learning impairment.
But remember, there are many other nutrients you need, especially micronutrients, that are best found in food. The easiest way to get all your vitamins and minerals every day is to take a multivitamin. Yet it’s hard to find any one multi-vitamin that contains all your micronutrients, so don’t rely on multi-vitamins alone.
And never take your vitamins on an empty stomach. No only does doing so often cause you to have an upset stomach, but taking them with food helps the digestive system better assimilate the, so your body (and brain) can better use them.
6 – Regulate Your Fuel Supply: Fiber
Most people don’t realize that fiber is important to the brain, but it’s extremely important. It can help with your brain functions because it can slow down sugar absorption. Your brain works on 100 percent sugar; however, it needs to be delivered steadily and in the proper amounts so as not to overload your brain.
True, fiber in itself might not be considered ‘food,’ but you often get it through foods. Consuming a fiber-rich diet will slow down digestion and gradually release the sugar into your bloodstream.
Foods that contain a good dose of fiber include:
- Dried fruits – apricots, dates, prunes, raisins
- Vegetables – broccoli, green peas, spinach
- Peas and beans – black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans
- Nuts and seeds – almonds and flaxseed
- Whole fruit – avocadoes, kiwi, oranges, pears and skin-on apples
- Whole wheat grains – barley, brown rice, etc.
copy paste from here
