What should you eat if you want to maintain a healthy brain?
Nutrition can affect brain health in many ways. What we eat not only nourishes our brain cells, but it can also support a stable mood. Nutrition scientists have noted that the foods we eat can have much more complex effects on our mood and temperament.
1. Fish oil
If there's one food that you can relate to brain health, it's fish oil. The main reason is that fatty fish like sardines, salmon, and trout are high in omega-3s. About 60 percent of the brain is made up of fats. The long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in fish are fatty acids that the body cannot produce efficiently, so you have to get them from food. Omega-3 fatty acids also keep your heart healthy.
2. Lutein
Lutein is a phytonutrient found in spinach, kale, and avocados, and is often found in supplements for eye health. Lutein is concentrated in the back of the eye in an area called the macula. The eye is connected to the brain via the optic nerve. Lutein is transported to the brain where it is found in higher concentrations than in the blood (58% of carotene-like antioxidants in the brain, compared to only 28% of this family of phytonutrients in the bloodstream). There are now studies in both young and older adults showing positive effects of lutein on brain function.
3. Dark chocolate
Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, but make sure you get chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. The flavonoids, powerful antioxidants, can improve memory and may also help slow age-related mental decline. These flavonoids are found in cocoa, but not in all chocolate. For example, white chocolate has no cocoa and many candies are only 30% cocoa. The best news? Chocolate is a guilty pleasure because it also causes the brain to release dopamine, which improves mood.
4. eggs
Eggs and egg yolks are rich in protein and vitamins such as B, D and E, which can help improve memory. Choline Also found in eggs; it is a micronutrient that your body uses to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory. Egg yolk also has lutein which can help with brain health.
Ultimately, make sure you consume high-quality foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The brain is the only organ you can't transplant or replace, so take good care of it. You only have one.
