The brain is at the centre of your body activities.
As the control center of your body, it’s in charge of keeping your heart beating and lungs breathing and allowing you to move, feel and think.
That’s why it’s necessary to keep your brain in the best working condition.
The foods you eat play a huge role in keeping your brain healthy and active, improve memory and concentration.
These are the foods that feed the brain:
COFFEE
Do you take coffee every morning? Well you’re doing the right thing because it has two main components — caffeine and antioxidants — that help your brain.
The caffeine in coffee has a number of positive effects on the brain, including increased alertness, improved mood and sharpened concentration.
TURMERIC
This deep-yellow spice is a key ingredient in curry powder and has a number of benefits for the brain.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning it can directly enter the brain and benefit the cells there.
It’s a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that has been linked to improved brain memory, easing of depression, brain cells growth.
NUTS
Research has shown that eating nuts can improve heart health, and having a healthy heart is linked to having a healthy brain.
Nuts can improve cognition and even help prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
Several nutrients in nuts, such as healthy fats, antioxidants and vitamin E, may explain their brain-health benefits. Vitamin E, nuts brain-boosting nutrient, shields cell membranes from free radical damage, helping slow mental decline.
While all nuts are good for your brain, walnuts may have an extra edge, since they also deliver omega-3 fatty acids.
ORANGE
You can also get excellent amounts of vitamin C from bell peppers, guava, kiwi, tomatoes and strawberries.
EGGS
Eating eggs is an easy way to get choline, a mood booster, given that egg yolks are among the most concentrated sources of this nutrient.
The B vitamins have several roles in brain health. They may help slow the progression of mental decline in older people.
Also, being deficient in two types of B vitamins — folate and B12 — has been linked to depression.
B12 is also involved in synthesizing brain chemicals and regulating sugar levels in the brain
Green tea boosts brain function. It has been found to improve alertness, performance, memory and focus.
But green tea also has other components that make it a brain-healthy beverage.
One of them is L-theanine, an amino acid that helps reduce anxiety and makes you feel more relaxed.
FISH
Fish are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help build membranes around each cell in the body, including the brain cells. They can, therefore, improve the structure of brain cells.
Omega-3 acids have been connected to better cognition, better thinking abilities and blood flow in the brain.
These means that eating foods rich in omega-3s, such as oily fish, may boost brain function.
Examples of oily fish that contain high levels of omega-3s include:
- salmon
- mackerel
- tuna
- herring
- sardines
A source of healthy unsaturated fat, avocados may support the brain.
The unsaturated fats in avocados may lower the risk of cognitive decline.
Other sources of healthful unsaturated fats include:
- almonds, cashews, and peanuts
- flaxseed
- soybean and canola oils
- walnuts
- fish
PEANUTS
Peanuts are a legume that provide key vitamins and minerals to keep the brain healthy, including high levels of vitamin E and resveratrol.
Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant found in peanuts that can have protective effects, such as helping to prevent cancers, inflammation, and neurological diseases.
