Your brain is kind of a big deal.
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 a good idea to keep your brain in peak working condition.
The foods you eat play a role in keeping your brain healthy and can improve specific mental tasks, such as memory and concentration.
This article lists 11 foods that boost your brain.
1. Fatty Fish
When people talk about brain foods, fatty fish is often at the top of the list.
This type of fish includes salmon, trout and sardines, which are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids .
About 60% of your brain is made of fat, and half of that fat is the omega-3 kind .
Your brain uses omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells, and these fats are essential for learning and memory .
Omega 3-s also have a couple additional benefits for your brain.
For one thing, they may slow age-related mental decline and help ward off Alzheimer’s disease .
On the flip side, not getting enough omega-3s is linked to learning impairments, as well as depression
In general, eating fish seems to have positive health benefits.
One study found that people who ate baked or broiled fish regularly had more gray matter in their brains. Gray matter contains most of the nerve cells that control decision making, memory and emotion .
Overall, fatty fish is an excellent choice for brain health.
SUMMARY:
Fatty fish is a rich source of omega-3s, a major building block of the brain. Omega-3s play a role in sharpening memory and improving mood, as well as protecting your brain against decline.
2. Coffee
If coffee is the highlight of your morning, you’ll be glad to hear that it’s good for you.
Two main components in coffee — caffeine and antioxidants — help your brain.
The caffeine in coffee has a number of positive effects on the brain, including :
- Increased alertness: Caffeine keeps your brain alert by blocking adenosine, a chemical messenger that makes you sleepy .
- Improved mood: Caffeine may also boost some of your “feel-good” neurotransmitters, such as serotonin (13).
- Sharpened concentration: One study found that when participants drank one large coffee in the morning or smaller amounts throughout the day, they were more effective at tasks that required concentration .
Drinking coffee over the long term is also linked to a reduced risk of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
This could at least be partly due to coffee’s high concentration of antioxidants .
SUMMARY:
Coffee can help boost alertness and mood. It may also offer some protection against Alzheimer’s, thanks to its caffeine and antioxidants.
3. Blueberries
Blueberries provide numerous health benefits, including some that are specifically for your brain.
Blueberries and other deeply colored berries deliver anthocyanins, a group of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects .
Antioxidants act against both oxidative stress and inflammation, conditions that may contribute to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases .
Some of the antioxidants in blueberries have been found to accumulate in the brain and help improve communication between brain cells .
Animal studies have shown that blueberries help improve memory and may even delay short-term memory loss .
Try sprinkling them on your breakfast cereal or adding them to a smoothie.
SUMMARY:
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants that may delay brain aging and improve memory.
