Feed your brain with these delicious foods!
The human brain is capable of amazing things, but like the rest of your body, it needs fuel in order to function. It also requires nutrients, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to keep it healthy, drive off disease, and prevent the breakdown of brain cells. Eat the memory boosting foods below, and you’ll have a brain that is capable of so much more:
- Beets – These purple veggies are packed with antioxidants that can prevent cancer, reduce inflammation, and eliminate the toxins in your blood. They contain nitrates that will increase blood flow to the brain, and can boost your energy levels. All in all, they’re an amazing food to add to a diet for a healthy brain.
- Avocadoes – The high fat content of these fruits (yes, they’re technically a fruit) makes avocadoes one of the healthiest brain foods around. The “good” monounsaturated fat helps to keep blood sugar levels steady and provides your brain with energy. Plus, avocadoes are rich in folate and Vitamin K, both of which reduce the risk of brain clots and enhance your brain function.
- Blueberries – These little fruits are loaded with brain-boosting antioxidants that will reduce inflammation and increase blood flow. The gallic acid in the berries will prevent oxidative stress from damaging your brain, and can stop cellular breakdown. Plus, they’re wonderfully delicious!
- Broccoli – Broccoli contains a lot of both choline and Vitamin K, two nutrients that play a role in protecting the part of your brain responsible for memory. The Vitamin C in the broccoli will reduce toxicity in your blood and protect your brain from oxidative stress.
- Coconut oil – Yet another great source of unsaturated fats, coconut oil is a brain food for sure! It’s great for reducing inflammation, suppressing the cells that trigger the inflammatory response. It can improve gut health and thereby ensure your body can absorb all the nutrients your brain needs. It’s even useful for preventing age-related memory loss.
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- Fish – All fish contains a lot of fats, but it’s fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel you want for a healthier brain. Salmon is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids which improve memory, reduce the risk of ADHD, and keep your brain working well as you age. It can even help to prevent brain tumors from growing.
- Eggs – This is one of those few cases where the yolk is actually better than the white! Egg yolks contain a lot of choline, which plays a role in the development of infants’ brains during pregnancy.
- Dark chocolate – Nowhere else will you find such a wonderful combination of flavor and nutrition! Dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids, which will act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory to reduce the risk of cellular degeneration. These antioxidants will also reduce blood pressure, increase blood flow to your brain, and prevent clots from forming in your blood vessels.
- Olive oil – If you want a healthy brain, it’s time to start eating a lot more extra virgin olive oil! Olive oil contains a lot of polyphenols that can help to reduce the effects of aging. In fact, these antioxidants may even be able to REVERSE some of the negative effects, restoring your memory and improving your brain function. It can also fight the brain changes caused by age and disease, and may help protect against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
- Rosemary – Rosemary contains carnosic acid, an acid that can protect your brain from cellular breakdown. It will fight off free radicals and keep your brain aging at a normal, healthy rate.