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. Nutritionists 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 you can relate to brain health, it's fish oil. The main reason is that fatty fish - such as sardines, salmon and trout - are high in omega-3. 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 synthesize efficiently, so you must get them from food to fetch. Omega-3 fatty acids also keep your heart healthy.
2. Lutein
Lutein is a phytonutrient found in spinach, kale and avocados and commonly found in dietary 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 through the optic nerve. Lutein is transported to the brain where it is in a higher concentration than in the blood (58% of carotene-like antioxidants in the brain, while only 28% of this family of phytonutrients in the bloodstream). There are now studies in both young people and the elderly that show 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, strong antioxidants, can improve memory and may also help slow down age-related mental decline. These flavonoids can be 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 is also found in eggs; it's a micronutrient that your body uses to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory. Egg yellow also has lutein which may help with brain health.
Ultimately, make sure you consume high-quality foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The brain is the one organ you cannot transplant or replace, so take good care of it. You only have one.
