The brain is one of the most important parts of the body. The brain is the control center for the body and is responsible for keeping the lungs breathing, heart beating, and for your ability to think and decision making. The food you eat and your daily intake of vitamins and essential nutrients play an important role in the proper functioning of the body as well brain. Eating the right food to keep your brain healthy is important. Here is a list of best foods that are responsible for boosting brain health. These power foods play a major role in improving brain health, concentration, and memory power
- Coffee– Coffee is the morning doze for many people, and you will be happy to know that it is good for the brain. Coffee has two main components, which are- antioxidants and caffeine. Both these components are great for a healthy brain. Following are the brain-boosting benefits of coffee(a power food for the brain)
- Enhances mood- caffeine helps in boosting the serotonin, a “feel-good” neurotransmitters.
- Improved alertness- caffeine content in the coffee helps in increasing the brain alertness. It blocks the chemical messenger called adenosine, which makes you feel sleepy.
- Boosts concentration- coffee sharpens the concentration power of the brain and makes you productive and effective at doing tasks.
Research has shown that drinking coffee regularly also minimizes the risk of neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, because of the concentration of the high antioxidant.
- Fatty Fish– Fatty fish is one of the common and most effective brain-boosting foods. Salmon, sardines, trout are all fatty fishes. These fishes are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which is a major building block for the brain. More than half of our brain is made up of fat, half of which is omega-3. Omega-3 is used to build nerve cells and brain and is also essential for boosting memory and learning capacity. Some of the other brain benefits of consuming Omega-3 are:
- Slow down the mental decline caused due to aging
- Prevents the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Prevents learning impairments and reduces the risk of depression
Researchers have found that eating fish regularly increases the gray matter in the brain, which contains most nerve cells responsible for decision making, emotion, and memory.
· Turmeric- Who knew this yellow spice is a power food for boosting brain health. Turmeric is a common spice used in curries, especially in Asian foods. Turmeric contains an active ingredient called Curcumin, which enters the brain directly, crossing any blood-brain barriers and benefits brain cells.
This Brain food is loaded with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, which have many benefits.
- Prevents Depression– Turmeric is proved to help in easing depression. It boosts the dopamine and serotonin level in the body, which improves the mood. Curcumin acts as an Anti-depressant in the body.
- Improves memory– Curcumin is said to benefit the memory, especially for the people suffering from Alzheimer’s. It prevents the early symptoms of the disease like amyloid plaques.
Include turmeric in your daily diet, when cooking potato dishes or noodles.
- Blueberries- Don’t be surprised to know that blueberries are one of the Power foods for the brain. Blueberries contain plant compounds called anthocyanins. These compounds have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds prevent the brain from aging and risks of neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants found in blueberries are also known to work against inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. Few of these antioxidants are found to be accumulated in the brain and improve brain cells communicate. Include blueberries in your breakfast cereal and smoothies to delay the signs of brain aging and prevent memory loss.
- Pumpkin seeds- Pumpkin, a brain food, is loaded with strong antioxidants which the body and brain against free radical damage. Pumpkin is rich in zinc, copper, magnesium, and iron. The following are the benefits of pumpkin on brain health.
- Magnesium- magnesium is responsible for improved learning capacity of the brain and boosting memory power. Magnesium lowers the risk of neurological diseases such as depression, migraine, and epilepsy.
- Zinc- Zinc is a vital element for enhancing nerve signals. The deficiency of zinc can cause neurological diseases.
- Iron- Brain Fog and improper brain functions are commonly caused due to iron deficiency in the body.
Add pumpkin seeds in your diet to reap the benefits of this brain-boosting food.
· Eggs- eggs are amazing brain food linked to a healthy brain. Eggs are a rich source of choline, folate, Vitamin B12, and B6. All these nutrients are essential for a healthy brain. Choline, one of the micronutrients found in eggs, creates a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and boosts memory. A high level of choline is proved to improve memory and brain functions. Yolk part of the egg is the best source to get choline in your diet. An average woman should consume at least 425 mg choline, while men should consume 550 mg per day. One yolk contains around 112 mg of choline. Reap the brain-boosting benefits by including eggs in your daily diet food.
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