If you want to reach your peak mental performance, you need to bear in mind that your diet plays a huge role in how well your brain works. Some foods are more important than others if you’re looking to develop a diet plan specifically to boost your brain power.
A lot – though not all – of these foods are fruits and vegetables. They grow on this planet to sustain living beings like ourselves, so it’s no surprise that a lot of the healthiest brain-boosting foods are organic.
This list explores seven of the most potent body- and brain-boosting foods that the natural world has to offer. If you make sure to include all these in your weekly diet, you’ll start to notice improvements in memory recall, verbal fluidity, and general cognitive performance in a few short days.
1. Spirulina - helps brain function and memory
Spirulina is quite possibly the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. You might find it a bit strange to learn that spirulina is essentially pond scum. It’s a natural alga that contains the highest organic protein content of any plant, as well as a huge number of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
The combination of antioxidants and minerals present in spirulina make it a great choice if you want to keep your brain in top shape. Oxidation is one of the main causes of degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Spirulina also contains impressive amounts of vitamin B1, which is helpful for converting carbohydrates into the energy used by your brain.
2. Blueberries - helps boost short term memory
At one point blueberries were thought to be the most nutritionally dense food in the world; they’re still considered one of the best sources of antioxidants. All these antioxidants, vitamins and minerals work together to prevent oxidative damage that would otherwise speed up the brain’s degeneration.
There has been rigorous research on blueberries and their benefit to the human brain. They’ve been shown to dramatically slow down age-related memory decline and help preserve motor function. Some people have even gone as far as nicknaming the blueberry the “brain berry” because of its powerful positive effects on mental health.
3. Nuts and/or seeds - helps protect healthy brain function
Nuts and seeds contain quite a lot of vitamin E. Vitamin E is good at helping to prevent degenerative diseases, particularly those of the brain. It’s good for keeping the entire body in healthy, young-looking condition: It helps the skin produce collagen (which fights off oxidative damage as well as giving strength to the skin), keeps the hair healthy, and helps to maintain the brain’s ability to communicate.
Nuts are also high in brain-healthy omega-3 fats, as well as various minerals like magnesium which are good for maintaining blood pressure and circulation.
4. Salmon - promote healthy brain function
Salmon is one of the best foods for keeping your brain in good condition. It’s one of the highest natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These are necessary for the brain to function – it’s mostly made of fat, so it makes sense that it needs fat in order to operate properly.
Omega-3 fatty acids are the “good” fats that we need to have in our diet. They help to clear your body of other less beneficial fats, like HDL cholesterol, as well as keeping your cognitive function on track.
5. Avocados - cell growth and development
Avocados are one of the most brain-healthy fruits. They contain comparable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids to salmon, as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals which help improve the brain’s function in several ways.
Avocados improve the blood flow between various areas of the body. Without proper blood flow, your organs – including your brain – can’t function properly, so a healthy blood flow is vital to your mental performance.
6. Lentils and legumes
Lentils and legumes, including black beans and chickpeas, are fantastic foods for managing blood flow. They can also help your brain maintain healthy blood sugar levels, which is important because the brain relies on carbohydrates, which are metabolized into sugar, for energy.
Consuming lentils and legumes on the regular can help make sure your brain receives the energy it needs through proper carb metabolization. It can also ensure that your brain gets enough oxygen. Oxygen is transported via red blood cells, so having good blood circulation is vital for ensuring your organs get enough oxygen.
Beans and lentils are also dirt cheap, so even if you’re on a budget, you can always manage to fit them into your diet plan!
7. Dark Chocolate - boost memory and mood
Dark chocolate, of course, is best if you’re hoping to improve your diet. Processed milk chocolate is full of additives, and contains less cocoa (which is the ingredient filled with all the delightful nutrition we want) and more fat than dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate, of course, is best if you’re hoping to improve your diet. Processed milk chocolate is full of additives, and contains less cocoa (which is the ingredient filled with all the delightful nutrition we want) and more fat than dark chocolate.
Chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or more is always best. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, two sister compounds that are known for providing mental stimulation and improving focus.
Chocolate also stimulates the brain’s production of endorphins, which are the body’s endogenous (made in the body itself) “feel-good” chemicals. An imbalance of endorphins can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental issues.
Furthermore, chocolate is known to be a great source of antioxidants. On top of helping to stabilize your mood and your concentration, chocolate will also shield your brain from oxidative damage.
What else can I do to support my brainpower?
Brain health is incredibly important for overall well-being, and there are many things you can do to support your brain power. In addition to getting regular exercise and plenty of sleep, incorporating certain nutrients into your diet may help protect the brain from free radicals and enhance memory and cognitive function. Eating foods like leafy greens, which are rich in antioxidants, can help improve brain health and function. Other foods to boost brainpower include fatty fish, berries, and nuts, all of which contain nutrients that support brain development and improve blood flow to the brain.
Certain foods can also help improve brain function by enhancing the production of brain chemicals that are essential for learning and memory. Eating a diet rich in these foods for a healthy brain can also help protect the brain from cognitive decline and brain fog. Consider incorporating the following 11 foods into your diet to boost brain health and support optimal brain function.
In conclusion
Keeping your brain healthy is one of the most important things you’ll ever do. Your brain is the primary tool with which you experience your reality, and without it, you won’t have much of an experience!
The foods listed above are some of the most potent, powerful brain-healing foods you can buy. Adding them to your weekly diet will give you improved memory, verbal fluidity, and general mental performance, but it’s important to include other foods in your diet as well. These aren’t the only brain foods – eating a balanced diet overall is vital.
