Your brain is a supercomputer
What the best 7 superfoods to rewire your brain health? Did you know that what you eat can have a direct impact on your brain health? It's true! The food you consume affects your mood, energy levels, ability to focus, and memory. Eating the right foods can help you stay mentally sharp as you age and reduce the risk of developing problems like dementia.
Oily fish
You've probably heard of omega-3 fatty acids before. These healthy fats are the first of the 7 superfoods that can rewire your brain. They are found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Omega-3s are essential for the functions that we rely on our brains for. These include learning, remembering things, staying focused, solving problems, and making decisions. In other words, cognitive function. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. In addition, omega-3s can slow mental decline if dementia has already been diagnosed (1).
These fats also help protect your brain by reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a reduced risk of depression (2). Depression is very complicated, and it is not completely understood what effect it has on the brain. One theory is that it reduces the mass of the brain (3). Polyunsaturated fats, of which omega-3 is one, make up twenty percent of the brain’s mass (4), and much of that is used, stored, and removed from the brain every day (5). This explains a little why omega-3 fatty acids are so important for the brain.
Vitamin B12
Another essential nutrient found in salmon is vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is thought to play a fundamental role in brain function. It helps prevent neurological and developmental disorders, as well as mood disorders. It is also important for the prevention of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia (1).
Nuts
The best source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish. However, if you are a vegetarian or don’t like the strong taste of oily fish, the next best foods are nuts and seeds.
Nuts are one of the 7 superfoods to rewire your brain. This is because they are a nutritional powerhouse for your brain. This makes them an obvious superfood to rewire your brain. These delicious nibbles are loaded with a wealth of fats and proteins that are beneficial to the brain. Nuts, especially walnuts, have been proven to enhance mental performance in adults. They also help prevent cognitive decline that comes with ageing (6). Almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts can lower blood sugar levels by up to 30 per cent. They also help reduce inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes. Both of these factors are important for lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease (7). Inflammation is enemy number one when it comes to brain health, so it is very important to keep it at bay.
Seeds
Seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids for your brain. The best seeds for omega-3s are flax, chia, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Ground flaxseed is delicious sprinkled on porridge or added to your homemade biscuits, for a delicious nutty flavour. You can also get your hit of omega-3 from flaxseed oil. Chia seeds can be used to make a pudding, added to smoothies, baked into muffins, biscuits, or energy bars, or sprinkled on salads. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are great to nibble on as snacks, or add them to granolas and salads (8). Pumpkin seeds, in particular, are beneficial for brain health due to their high magnesium content. This mineral is essential for hundreds of bodily reactions, but is particularly important for boosting brain health, easing migraines, and reducing mild anxiety (9). This is because it calms down nerve activity.
Seeds are also packed full of fibre, which is great for the ‘good' bacteria in your gut. Maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria plays a role in brain health and overall mental well-being (10). Recent research has also suggested that some dangerous bacteria in the gut can even trigger Parkinson's disease and autism (11). This means it is even more important to maintain the beneficial bacteria in the gut, so that they crowd out the nasty ones.
Fermented foods
Bearing in mind that we need to keep the gut full of beneficial bacteria, another great food to benefit the brain are fermented foods. These include kefir, komboucha, kimchi and sauerkraut. These foods contain a wealth of key enzymes and probiotics essential for digestion and gut health.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the name for the ‘good’ bacteria, and fermented foods contain billions of them. Research indicates that probiotics can support brain health. They improve mental well-being, reduce anxiety and depression, and boost immunity (12). Eating fermented foods helps your gut and brain. The fermentation process may increase the vitamin content in vegetables (13), which is beneficial for the entire body.
Prebiotic Foods
High fibre or prebiotic foods are one of the most unrecognised and undervalued brain foods. Prebiotic foods are converted into short-chain fatty acids by your gut bacteria. The short-chain fatty acids then serve as a source of energy to help fuel your brain, enabling it to work efficiently. Prebiotics help reduce inflammation and alleviate digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome (14). The best prebiotic foods are chicory root, asparagus, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, and onions. Nuts, seeds, and fibrous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and spinach also have fibre. They help keep your gut and your brain happy and healthy.
Folate
Cabbage, spinach and kale also keep the gut healthy by reducing inflammation in the gut lining (15). Additionally, leafy greens are rich in vitamins from the B group, including folate. B vitamins and folate play a crucial role in protecting brain health. They are especially important for brain development, both before and after birth. Folate also helps the body make neurotransmitters. These are the chemical messengers that send information from the brain to the body through the nerves (16). I think you will agree that there are many good reasons to include a variety of green vegetables in your diet.
Berries
Berries, especially blueberries, are packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals. These nutrients
improve memory, learning, and motor skills. These healthy power packs can also help to protect the brain from mental decline and loss of memory (17). Additionally, they play a role in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is important as diabetes increases the likelihood of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (18). Adding a handful of berries to your breakfast or nibbling on them throughout the day is a healthy treat that tastes great.
Avocado
Avocados are another excellent food to consider incorporating into your diet if you want to maintain brain health. They contain folate (19). Even better, they have lutein, a carotenoid that enhances cognitive function, memory, and problem-solving skills (20). These tasty fruits are rich in monounsaturated fats. Studies show these fats boost blood flow to the brain. They also contain Vitamin K (19). Vitamin K is another important vitamin for brain health (21). Add avocado slices to your salad or sandwich, or make a batch of guacamole for dipping vegetables as a healthy snack. If you want to eat 7 superfoods to rewire your brain, avocados deserve a spot on your plate.
Green tea and Cocoa
We have discussed the foods you need to eat to keep your brain healthy, but there are a couple of drinks worth mentioning as well. Studies on matcha, a type of green tea, have shown that individuals who regularly consumed it exhibited improved long-term memory and enhanced focus (22). The results were slight but better than nothing.
Cocoa contains a type of antioxidant called flavonols. Flavonols boost spatial memory. This type of memory helps you notice your surroundings and understand their location. Flavonols also boost long-term memory. They speed up how quickly you process information and improve focus. One reason they may possess this ability is that they help increase blood flow to the brain (23). Remember, as well as drinking cocoa, you can also eat it in the form of high-cocoa-content chocolate. It does have a slightly bitter taste, but your brain will thank you.
What you eat and drink has a direct impact on your brain health, so it's essential to make informed choices when it comes to food. To sharpen your mind and improve your memory, consider incorporating some of the 7 superfoods discussed into your diet. Now eat up and enjoy the benefits!
