  Certain foods can boost our intellectual performance. Discover your brains best friends and add them to your diet in your quest to become the next Nobel Prize winner! In addition to calories, you should also make sure you get good nutrients for your neurons through a balanced and varied diet. To ensure your brain gets what it needs there are certain foods you should add to your diet.  1. Oily fish (mackerel, sardines salmon…) for brain maintenance More than 50% of brain mass is made up of lipids, and over 70% of these are fatty acids that belong to the well-known Omega 3 group. These fats are crucial to the production and maintenance of brain cells, preserving the fluidity of cell membrane. They also play a part in neuron activity. Weakening brain function and memory trouble can often be traced back to a deficiency in Omega 31. Oily fish are one of the best sources of Omega 3, but if fish isn't to your taste, consider nut oils and rapeseed oil as equally rich alternatives.  2. Pulses (lentils, chick-peas...) for brain energy The brain is said to be glucose-dependent, which means it uses only glucose to function. It consumes more than 5g an hour, but doesnt know how to store it. It therefore has to be regularly supplied your diet via the circulatory system. It has long been proven that the most difficult task within intellectual performance, the capacity to memorise, depends on the level of glucose in the blood2. But beware of indulging in sugary foods and confectionery; though easy to snack on, The sugars that are said to be complex and which have a low Glycaemic Index (GI) are therefore crucial. Pulses are rich in these complexsugars, and their GI is one of the lowest. This really works to allow the regulation of glucose in the blood and its supply to the brain without creating a reaction of hyperglycaemia. If pulses arent to your taste either, consider wholegrain foods, especially cooked al dente.  3. Bananas for a calm brain These two molecules seem to create the right state of mind for prudent, calm and measured behaviour. If you dont like bananas, consider prunes or dried fruit instead.  4. Liver (veal, beef, chicken…) for intelligence The brain accounts for around 20% of the bodys oxygen needs, and iron is needed to get oxygen to the brain by means of the bloods haemoglobin. Liver is one of your diets assets guaranteed to contain this valuable metal. Equally, liver is one of the most important sources of Vitamin B. Since the mid 1980s, it has been shown that these vitamins, mainly B9, B12, B1 and B6, improve cognitive function and the results of intelligence tests. If you dont like liver, consider, beef or nutritional yeast as a supplement.  5. Red berries for happy brain cells Together, they not only fight against free radicals which can affect nerve cells, notably brain cells, but also improve circulation and strengthen blood capillaries, which enable the best oxygenation of the brain. If you dont like red berries, then go for kiwi fruit or garlic.  6. Shellfish for brain function Though rich in Vitamin B12 and in protein (notably lysine, a precursor to dopamine, a powerful neurotransmitter), it is mostly the oligo-elements in seafood and crustaceans (oysters, clams, shrimp etc.) that are good for brain function. Oligo-elements are crucial in order to fight and prevent stress and its inconveniences. Some of these can be described as therapeutic weaponsas they have a hand in fighting anxiety, mental fatigue and nervous disposition. Manganese, copper, lithium, zinc and iodine have this effect too and can also be found in seafood. If you dont like shellfish, consider eating wholemeal bread, algae (which has iodised salt as in table salt) or wheat germ.  7. Eggs for brain connectivity This is also the case with acetylcholine, a synthesis made from methionine and serine used in the process of memorisation, where noradrenalin (which stimulates learning) and its production rely on the presence of tyrosine and phenylaline, which are again found in the proteins in eggs. If you dont like eggs, consider white fish as an alternative.  8. Spinach for good memory If you dont like spinach, go for watercress, lambs lettuce, iceberg lettuce, broccoli or different types of herbs. Of these, rosemary is worth noting as it has certain flavonoids (notably apigenin) in its aroma, which possess stimulating properties affecting concentration and memory through encouraging cerebral blood flow.  9. Cocoa for brain stimulation But thats not all! Scientists have demonstrated the positive role flavonoids present in cocoa play in encouraging better dilation of blood vessels4. These antioxidant compounds help fight free radicals and guard the brains activity. Beware of over-indulging, however. If you dont like chocolate, drink tea (which also contains antioxidants) and weak coffee (for its caffeine and its psycho-stimulating effect5), but being mindful of excess and without indulging too much at the risk of cancelling out or even reversing the effects.  10. Avocado to keep the brain young And dont forget that, in order to become a real intellectual athlete, 1. Neurology. 2004, 62(2): 275-280 |
Healthy Food Choices: Brain Foods
Brain foods like fruits and fish are important for fueling your brain all throughout the day.
Learn some tips on eating brain foods and keeping your mind active in this video
http://www.nidokidos.org/threads/51377-Healthy-Food-Choices-Brain-Foods
