Biohacking the food you eat can have significant benefits in the way your brain functions. Eating the right food will have a positive impact on your memory, focus and thoughts almost instantly – here’s what you can eat that’ll help:
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Virgin Olive Oil
- Rosemary
- Salomon
- Walnuts
- Coffee or Tea
- Eggs
- Green Tea
- Oranges
Did you know that we’re all at risk of brain degeneration?
Brain ageing is inevitable, but the rate of decline isn’t uniform or the same for everybody, which proves there are things we can do to slow it down and reduce the effect it has on us.
The way your brain works is the most critical aspect to your health, fitness and lifestyle, yet it’s an area neglected by many people, even those who eat a balanced diet and follow an exercise program.
Studies reveal that every 65 seconds, someone in the US develops Alzheimer’s disease.
There are many more degenerative diseases too, like Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neurone Disease. On a less serious you may just find remembering people’s names, being creative or maintaining focus a challenge.
No matter what, the brain’s responsible for what we do and how well we do it, and therefore, it makes sense to do everything we possibly can to boost brain power and efficiency.
And you don’t necessarily need to be taking Nootropics, which are basically supplements or drugs that can improve brain function, to see benefits in how well your mind works, food has a positive impact too.
Your diet is the most influential and easy to change element that directly impacts the vitality of your brain, so here’s more about what the top 10 brain foods are and how they help your mind as well as your body, as supplements are not always necessary.
Table of Contents
1. Blueberries
As they say, good things come in small packages. As small as blueberries are, they have numerous health advantages all while maintaining a natural candy taste.
They are one of the best foods rich in antioxidants such as fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Additionally, due to their concentrated levels of gallic acid, blueberries are essential in protecting your brain from degeneration.
2. Broccoli
Due to its high levels of Choline and vitamin K, Broccoli is one of the best foods that you can feed your brain to keep your memory sharp.
Choline assists the brain cells in the production of acetylcholine, which is a major neurotransmitter for mental focus. Vitamin K regulates calcium in the brain, thereby keeping Alzheimer’s disease at bay.
3. Virgin Olive Oil
This oil is packed with powerful antioxidants called Polyphenols, which significantly sharpen your memory and boost your learning. They also aid in the reversal of age-induced ailments.
In addition to that, virgin olive oil helps in the eradication of amyloid-beta derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs), which are a group of harmful proteins to the brain. They are one of the triggers of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Rosemary
It’s a well-known fact that rosemary oil packs quite a punch. But are you aware of its other benefits?
It’s rich in Carnosic acid, which curbs neurodegeneration. It achieves this by protecting the brain from chemical free radicals connected to strokes and faster aging of the brain.
5. Salmon
Are you a fan of seafood?
Then you’ll be happy to discover that as brain food, salmon is one of the most nutritious options out there. It’s rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential in the optimal functioning of your brain. Salmon also eradicates brain fog, thereby boosting memory.
If you have children, incorporating salmon in their diet can notably curb Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by elevating their focus. Fatty acids also play an important role in the prevention of cancer.
6. Walnuts
As it turns out, ingesting walnuts keeps you from going nuts! Simply gobble up a handful of walnuts every day to significantly boost your brain health.
Walnuts have high amounts of antioxidants and minerals, thereby promoting mental alertness. The vitamin E contained in the nuts also assists in warding off Alzheimer’s, so go ahead and grab some!
7. Coffee or Tea
Is coffee or tea the highlight of your mornings?
You’ll be happy to know that it’s great for your brain, thanks to its two major components – antioxidants and caffeine.
Caffeine enhances mental alertness by blocking out adenosine, a chemical that causes sleepiness. In addition to that, the antioxidants result in a diminished risk of neurological ailments, such as Parkinson’s disease.
This is because, as you age, you face exposure to increased levels of oxidative stress, which slowly deteriorates brain function. The antioxidants found in tea and coffee, are in turn counteractive to oxidative stress.
8. Eggs
Eggs are not only delicious but are a great source of numerous nutrients as well. They contain Choline and Folate, which are both essential for boosting brain function.
Choline is an essential micronutrient, which your body utilizes to synthesize acetylcholine, a brain transmitter that helps in the regulation of memory and mood.
The sufficient daily Choline intake is 425mg for women and 550mg for men. This is an easily achievable target as one egg yolk contains 112mg.
Our brains require Folate for optimal cognitive function, thereby minimizing age-induced mental decline. As such, the daily required dosage for adults is 200mg.
9. Green Tea
As is the case with coffee, green tea contains caffeine that enhances brain function by increasing focus, memory, and performance. In addition to this, it also has numerous other components, which boost your brain health.
For starters, it contains an amino acid known as L-theanine, which increases the activity of the GABA neurotransmitter. In turn, this lowers your anxiety levels.
Moreover, L-theanine increases the frequency of alpha waves in your brain. Thus, this not only keeps you relaxed but also keeps exhaustion at bay. L-theanine is also packed with antioxidants and Polyphenols, which curb mental deterioration and lower the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
10. Oranges
Did you know that you could get all the vitamin C that your brain requires each day from consuming one average-sized orange? In doing so, you counteract mental decline that usually comes with age.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps ward off free radicals, which cause adverse damage to brain cells. Strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi, bell peppers, and guavas are also fruits with high vitamin C levels.
Eat Your Way to a Powerful Brain!
While the above foods keep your brain healthy, there is no magic pill that can boost your brain power overnight you’ve seen in the film Limitless, but eating the right food will start to have an immediate positive effect.
The secret lies in incorporating these easy to buy and eat foods consistently into a healthy diet. In turn, your brain will reward you with optimal mental function, over time.
And on a final note, where you can, eat fresh, organic versions of these foods, that way you limit the toxins you consume as toxins have a negative impact on the brain, in fact detoxing the brain is important to its function, so don’t make things harder than they need to be.