What does the food you eat have to do
with how your brain functions? Turns
out an awful lot. While we’ve always
known that what we eat affects our
bodies and how we look, scientists are
also learning more and more that what
we eat takes a toll on
our brains. Yes,
brain foods matter (especially for our
gray matter).
See, our bodies don’t like stress. Who
does? When we’re stressed out —
whether it’s physical, like someone
jumps out at you from a dark alley, or
mental, like you have a major project due at work — our bodies release
inflammatory cytokines. (1 )
These little chemicals prompt the
immune system to kick in and fight
back against the stress through
inflammation, as though stress is an
infection. While inflammation helps
protect us against illnesses and repairs
the body when you do something like
cut yourself, chronic inflammation is a
different animal. It’s been linked to
autoimmune diseases like multiple
sclerosis , anxiety, high blood pressure
and more. (2 )
But what does this all have to do with
food? Our gut helps keep our body’s
immune responses and inflammation
under control. Additionally, gut
hormones that enter the brain or are
produced in the brain influence
cognitive ability, like understanding
and processing new information,
staying focused on the task at hand
and recognizing when we’re full. (3 )
Plus, brain foods rich in antioxidants,
good fats, vitamins and minerals
provide energy and aid in protecting
against brain diseases. So when we
focus on giving our bodies whole,
nutritious foods benefiting both the gut
and the brain, we’re actually benefiting
our minds and bodies while keeping
them both in tip-top shape.
Of course, some foods are better for
your brain than others. I’ve rounded up
15 brain foods you should be eating to
feed both your mind and body. With a
mix of fruits, veggies, oils and even
chocolate (yes, chocolate!), there’s
something to please everyone!
15 Best Foods For The
Brain
1. Avocados
This fruit is one of the healthiest ones
you can consume and one of my all-
time favorites. While avocados often get
a bad rep because of their high fat
content, it’s important to note that
these green powerhouses are packed
with monosaturated fats or the “good”
kind, keeping blood sugar levels steady
and your skin glowing.
Containing both vitamin K and folate ,
avocados help prevent blood clots in
the brain (protecting against stroke) as
well as help improve cognitive function,
especially both memory and
concentration.
They’re also rich in vitamin B and
vitamin C , which aren’t stored in your
body and need to be replenished daily.
Plus, they have the highest protein and
lowest sugar content of any fruit. Not
too shabby! Avocados’ creamy texture
makes them a smart addition to
smoothies and a replacement for fats in
baked goods, or try these brain foods in
one of these 50 amazing and easy
avocado recipes.
2. Beets
It might be their funny shape or
memories of bad recipes eaten during
childhood, but beets seem to be an
intimidating food for many people, even
vegetable lovers. That’s a shame,
because these root vegetables are
some of the most nutritious plants you
can eat — they’ve even earned a spot
on my healthy foods shopping list.
They reduce inflammation, are high in
cancer-protecting antioxidants and
help rid your blood of toxins. The
natural nitrates in beets actually boost
blood flow to the brain, helping with
mental performance. Plus, during tough
workouts, beets actually help boost
energy and performance levels. I love
them roasted or in salads — try my
sweet potato beet hash or beet and
goat cheese salad for some creative
new ways to eat this brain food.
3. Blueberries
Proving that great things do come in
small packages, blueberries are a fruit I
try to eat daily. That’s because they’ve
got so many great health benefit while
tasting like an all-natural candy!
For starters, it’s one of the highest
antioxidant-rich foods known to man,
including vitamin C and vitamin K and
fiber. Because of their high levels of
gallic acid, blueberries are especially
good at protecting our brains from
degeneration and stress. Get your daily
dose of brain berries in an Omega
Blueberry Smoothie, Pumpkin Blueberry
Pancakes or in a Healthy Blueberry
Cobbler .
4. Bone Broth
Bone broth is the ultimate food for
healing your gut and, in turn, healing
your brain. This ancient food is full of
health benefits, ranging from boosting
your immune system, overcoming
leaky gut, improving joint health and
overcoming food allergies.
Its high levels of collagen help reduce
intestinal inflammation, and healing
amino acids like proline and glycine
keep your immune system functioning
properly and help improve memory.
Bone broth is what I prescribe most
frequently to my patients because it
truly helps heal your body from the
inside out. You’ll also be surprised at
how simple and economical it is to
make at home with my Beef Bone Broth
Recipe .
5. Broccoli
Your mom got it right when she told
you to eat your broccoli. It’s one of the
best brain foods out there. Thanks to
its high levels of vitamin K and choline,
it will help keep your memory sharp.
(4 )
It’s also loaded with vitamin C — in
fact, just one cup provides you with 150
percent of your recommended daily
intake. Its high-fiber levels mean that
you’ll feel full quickly, too. If you’ve
only chowed down on overcooked,
tasteless broccoli, you’ll love my
Crockpot Beef and Broccoli , Creamy
Broccoli Soup and Broccoli Pesto Dip —
they’ll turn you into a broccoli lover
fast!
6. Celery
For a vegetable with such few calories
(just 16 per cup!), celery sure does
offer a lot of benefits. Its high levels of
antioxidants and polysaccharides act
as natural anti-inflammatories and can
help alleviate symptoms related to
inflammation, like joint pain and
irritable bowel syndrome .
Because it’s so nutrient-dense —
packing loads of vitamins, minerals
and nutrients with very little calories —
it’s a great snack option if you’re
looking to shed pounds. And while we
often eat celery stalks, don’t skip the
seeds and leaves; both provide extra
health benefits and taste great in things
like stir fries and soups. Not sure where
to begin with eating more celery? Try
my easy Ants on a Log or refreshing
Super Hydrator Juice recipes.
7. Coconut Oil
Ahh, coconut oil, one of the most
versatile — and good for you — foods
out there. With 77 coconut oil uses and
cures, there’s almost nothing that
coconut oil can’t help.
And when it comes to your brain, it’s
full of benefits, too. Coconut oil works
as a natural anti-inflammatory,
suppressing cells responsible for
inflammation. It can help with memory
loss as you age and destroy bad
bacteria that hangs out in your gut.
(5 ) Get your dose of coconut oil in this
Baked Grouper with Coconut Cilantro
Sauce or Coconut Crust Pizza.
8. Dark Chocolate
Not all chocolate is created equal; in
fact, dark chocolate can actually be
good for you! Chocolate is chockfull of
flavonols, which have antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties. They can
also help lower blood pressure and
improve blood flow to both the brain
and heart.
But don’t go wild munching on
Hershey’s Kisses just yet. Most of the
chocolate you see on supermarket
shelves is highly processed with few
benefits. The rule of thumb is the
darker the chocolate, the more health
benefits.
Skip milk and white chocolates and opt
for a minimally processed dark
chocolate with at least 70 percent of
cocoa. This ensures you’ll get your
choco fix and its brain benefits! Satisfy
your sweet tooth with these Dark
Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies or
Chocolate-Covered Berries.
9. Egg Yolks
On the nutritional naughty list for years,
egg yolks are finally experiencing their
well-deserved day in the sun. If you’ve
been eating only egg whites, the yolk’s
on you. Yolks contain large amounts of
choline, which helps in fetal brain
development for pregnant women. It
also breaks down bethane, a chemical
that produces hormones related to
happiness. That’s right, eggs can make
you happy! (6 )
If you’ve kept away from eating eggs
whole because of cholesterol concerns,
there’s good news. Studies show that
eating eggs had no effect on the
cholesterol levels of healthy adults and
might, in fact, help raise good
cholesterol levels.
It’s also one of the most inexpensive
sources of protein out there; just be
sure you’re buying organic, free-range
eggs . Need some egg-spiration? I love
these Baked Eggs and Spinach and
Breakfast Salmon Egg Bake . For even
more ideas, try whipping up one of
these 28 delicious egg recipes.
10. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Real extra virgin olive oil is truly a
brain food. Thanks to the powerful
antioxidants known as polyphenols that
are found in the oil, including EVOO in
your diet may not only improve
learning and memory, but also reverse
the age- and disease-related changes.
(7 ) The oil also helps fight against
ADDLs, proteins that are toxic to the
brain and induce Alzheimer’s. (8 )
As great as extra virgin olive oil is,
remember that it’s not a good option
for cooking, as it hydrogenizes and
begins decomposing at high
temperatures. The best way to get your
fill is by eating it cold or at room
temperature. I love extra virgin olive oil
as part of Zucchini Noodles with
Marinara Sauce and Quinoa Tabouli
Salad.
11. Green, Leafy Vegetables
It turns out that Popeye was onto
something with his spinach obsession.
Getting regular helpings of leafy green
brain foods — like kale , Swiss chard
and romaine lettuce — can help keep
dementia at bay according to new
research. (9 )
In the study, which evaluated the eating
habits and mental ability of more than
950 older adults for an average of five
years, those adults who ate a serving of
leafy green veggies once or twice a day
experienced slower mental
deterioration than those who ate no
vegetables, even when factors like age,
education and family history of
dementia were factored in.
Green, leafy vegetables are also loaded
with vitamins A and K (just one cup of
kale has more than 684 percent of your
recommended daily serving!), which
help fight inflammation and keep bones
strong. Reap the benefits of these brain
foods with a Mango Walnut Spinach
Salad or Kale Chips .
12. Rosemary
We already knew that rosemary oil has
a variety of benefits, but did you know
that the herb does, too? Carnosic acid,
one of the main ingredients in
rosemary, helps protect the brain from
neurodegeneration. It does this by
protecting the brain against chemical
free radicals, which are linked to
neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s,
strokes and normal aging in the brain.
(10 )
It also helps protect eyesight from
deteriorating, thanks to its high levels
of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory
properties. (11 ) Get your servings of
fresh rosemary with these Sweet Potato
Rosemary Fries and Maple-Glazed
Rosemary Carrots.
13. Salmon
If you like seafood, get excited,
because salmon is one of the most
nutritious, brain food-friendly foods out
there! It’s packed with omega-3 fatty
acids to help keep your brain running
smoothly — goodbye, brain fog — and
improve memory.
If you have kids, feeding them salmon
can help prevent ADHD by improving
their focus. And these same fatty acids
can also help prevent cancer and kill
tumors — not bad for a four-ounce
serving of fish!
Please note that these benefits are for
Alaskan wild-caught salmon — farm-
raised and regular wild-caught salmon
can be filled with mercury and toxins.
Enjoy it in these Salmon Cakes or
homemade Smoked Salmon Sushi
Bowl .
14. Turmeric
Isn’t it great when a simple spice has
amazing health benefits? That’s the
case with turmeric , an ancient root
that’s been used for its healing
properties throughout history. Thanks
to curcumin, a chemical compound
found in turmeric, the spice is actually
one of the most powerful (and natural)
anti-inflammatory agents.
Turmeric also helps boost antioxidant
levels and keep your immune system
healthy, while also improving your
brain’s oxygen intake, keeping you
alert and able to process information.
Talk about a super spice! Start your
day with this brain food and make my
Turmeric Eggs and Turmeric Tea .
15. Walnuts
It turns out that eating walnuts can
keep you from going nuts. Just
munching on a few walnuts a day can
improve your cognitive health.
(12 ) Their high levels of antioxidants,
vitamins and minerals also improve
mental alertness. The vitamin E in the
nuts can also help ward off
Alzheimer’s.www.facebook.com/arihalamvalentine
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