Brain Diet: 8 Foods to Improve Cognitive Function

Did you know? Your brain uses about 20% of your body’s calories every day. It also responsible for keeping your lungs breathing, heart beating and enabling you to think, feel and move freely.

So, for these reasons, it needs plenty of good fuel to keep it working to optimal levels.

While consuming Souvenaid Alzheimer’s drink is a good starting point, it is also a good idea to include these 8 foods in your diet to improve your overall cognitive function.

1. Fatty fish

Fatty fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, sardines and trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which act as a significant building block for your brain function.

Omega-3s play a major role in protecting you from cognitive decline, and can improve your mood and memory. So, the more you can incorporate it into your diet the better.

2. Eggs

Eggs, particularly fresh from a farmer’s market, provide plenty of nutrients to your brain in the form of choline, folate and both vitamins B6 and B12.

Choline is essential for your body as it is a micronutrient that produces acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate memory and mood.

As a rule, the more choline you consume the better. So, as men and women need 550mg and 425mg per day respectively, it is worth consuming at least one egg a day, because each one has about 147 mg within it.

Additionally, for older adults, B vitamins help to slow down the onset of mental decline. It does this by lowering their levels of homocysteine, which is an amino acid that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

3. Nuts

Eating nuts on a regular basis is a fantastic way to enhance heart health markers. This can also be beneficial for your brain as studies have shown that possessing a healthy heart is linked to having a better cognitive function and a decreased risk of neurological disorders.

Nuts contain several nutrients including antioxidants, healthy fats and vitamin E, all of which are beneficial to brain function. Vitamin E, for example, safeguards cells from free-radical damage which helps to slow down mental decline.

While all nuts are good for you, walnuts are probably the most beneficial, because they also possess anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Turmeric

Very popular in sub-continental cooking, turmeric is a deep-yellow aromatic spice which is a staple ingredient within curry powder.

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound and antioxidant that may help those suffering from Alzheimer’s to improve their memory. (It does this by crossing the blood-brain barrier, and therefore directly enters the brain).

Additionally, curcumin boosts dopamine and serotonin levels which can lift your mood. Moreover, it can also help to facilitate the growth of new brain cells.

5. Dark Chocolate

Yes, that’s right. Chocolate is good for you! Well, at least dark chocolate is anyway.

Dark chocolate derives from cacao – more commonly known as cocoa – which is full of flavonoids – a very beneficial type of antioxidant.

Antioxidants are renowned for playing a crucial role in maintaining brain health. By encouraging the growth of blood vessels and neurons in the parts of the brain responsible for learning and memory, they go a long way towards reducing oxidative stress. (This can lead to various brain diseases and age-related cognitive decline if levels remain high over a prolonged period).

They also stimulate a consistent flow of blood to the brain, which helps you to maintain concentration and mental sharpness.

6. Berries

Like dark chocolate, blackberries, blueberries, mulberries and strawberries, are packed full of antioxidants. More specifically, they contain caffeic acid, anthocyanin, quercetin and catechin.

Between them, these antioxidants can help to improve the communication between your brain cells and reduce inflammation throughout your body. They can also increase plasticity, which helps your brain cells form new connections, improves memory and boosts your capacity for learning.

Some studies suggest they can even reduce or delay cognitive decline and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

7. Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are another food high in antioxidants that protects both your body and brain from the potential of free-radical damage.

Additionally, they are also a fantastic source of zinc, which can help stave off the onset of depression, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and magnesium – which is essential for enhanced memory and learning.

8. Oranges

Just by eating one medium sized orange a day you can receive virtually all the daily doses of vitamin C you need. This is a good thing because vitamin C has been linked to staving off mental decline.

Vitamin C is another potent antioxidant which may help to reduce the threat of free radicals damaging brain cells.

It also supports brain health as you get older and could even protect against afflictions such as anxiety, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.