By: Maritza Tsabitah
Spinach
Dark or leafy greens contain high levels of folate and vitamin B12, which may protect the brain from dementia. High homocysteine is associated with low levels of folate and vitamins B6 and B12, leading researchers to speculate that having more B vitamins can be protective and thus offers the ideal example of "brain food." Bonus: spinach is one of the foods that will keep you young forever.
Fish
The best types of fish are cold-water fish such as salmon, halibut, tuna, and mackerel. They contain more omega-3 fatty acids that play an important role in brain function. These fish get their omega-3s by eating algae, other fish, and specific plankton that live in cold water. An analysis published in the Integrative Medicine Research Journal also found that omega-3 fatty acids in some oily fish can minimize the symptoms of depression and thus provide an excellent source of brain food.
Broccoli
You might hate broccoli as a child, but learning to love it as an adult will do some good to your brain. Green veggie—which still looks like mini trees, no matter how old you are—contains lutein, a plant pigment that the 2016 study says is related to "crystallized intelligence." And that's just as cool as it sounds: it essentially helps older adults to continue to use the skills and experience they've learned throughout their lives.
Nut and seeds
Nuts and seeds are healthy sources of vitamin E, says Pratt, explaining that higher vitamin E levels lead to less cognitive loss as you grow older. Add walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds, and unhydrogenated nut butter, such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini. Fresh or roasted doesn't matter, but if you're on a sodium-restricted diet, buy unsalted nuts.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is chockfull of flavonols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. They can also help lower blood pressure and increase blood flow both to the brain and to the heart. The rule of thumb is that the darker the chocolate, the better the chocolate. Avoid milk and white chocolate and opt for minimally processed dark chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa. This means that you can repair the shock and its brain benefits!
Avocados
It’s filled with monounsaturated or "good fats, keeping your blood sugar levels stable and your skin glowing. Containing both vitamin K and folate, avocados help prevent blood clots in the brain and help improve cognitive function, particularly memory and concentration. They are also high in vitamin B and vitamin C, which are not contained in your body and need to be refilled regularly. Plus, they have the highest protein content and the lowest sugar content of any fruit.
Blueberries
This super berry contains an antioxidant—anthocyanin—that can be especially good for your brain. Recent research at Tufts University has shown that anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier, protect brain cells from oxidation, and improve communication between brain neurons. Tufts animal experiments have shown that blueberries help enhance short-term memory, navigational skills, balance, and coordination.
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