Best Foods to Boost Your Brain and Memory

Fatty Fish

Fish includes salmon, trout and sardines, which are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. About 60% of your brain is made of fat, and half of that fat is the omega-3 kind. Your brain uses omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells, and these fats are essential for learning and memory.

In general, eating fish seems to have positive health benefits. One study found that people who ate baked or broiled fish regularly had more gray matter in their brains. Gray matter contains most of the nerve cells that control decision making, memory and emotion. Overall, fatty fish is an excellent choice for brain health.

Coffee

If coffee is the highlight of your morning, you’ll be glad to hear that it’s good for you. Two main components in coffee — caffeine and antioxidants — help your brain.

Increased alertness: Caffeine keeps your brain alert by blocking adenosine, a chemical messenger that makes you sleepy.

Improved mood: Caffeine may also boost some of your “feel-good” neurotransmitters, such as serotonin.

Sharpened concentration: One study found that when participants drank one large coffee in the morning or smaller amounts throughout the day, they were more effective at tasks that required concentration.

This could at least be partly due to coffee’s high concentration of antioxidants.

Blueberries

According to a few studies, a bowl of blueberries can help in boosting immunity and can reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart diseases. Moreover, consuming a small portion of berries daily can help in strengthening the metabolism and prevent any kind of metabolic syndrome and deficiency.

Dark Chocolate

Very Nutritious, Powerful Source of Antioxidants, May Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure, Raises HDL and Protects LDL from Oxidation, May Reduce Heart Disease Risk, May Protect Your Skin from the Sun, Could Improve Brain Function.

Eggs

There are a multitude of benefits to eating eggs every day. Not only do eggs provide high quality protein, they also contain 11 vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. And this means they can make a valuable contribution to daily nutrient requirements. Most of the protein in an egg can be found in the egg white, while the yolk contains healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Green Tea

Green tea is packed full of health-promoting compounds. Regularly drinking green tea can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of several diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Drinking three to five cups of green tea per day seems to be optimal to reap the most health benefits.

Contains healthy bioactive compounds, May improve brain function, Increases fat burning, Antioxidants may lower the risk of some cancers, May protect the brain from aging, May reduce bad breath, May help prevent type 2 diabetes, May help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Turmeric

Turmeric and its powerful ingredient, curcumin, have a range of health benefits. Antioxidants have the potential to prevent heart disease, eye conditions and Alzheimer’s. Anti-inflammatory properties can help people with arthritis. Turmeric may even reduce the risk or spread of cancer.

Curcumin may also improve memory and make you smarter.  

Nuts

Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, healthy fats, fibers, vitamins and minerals. Nuts and seeds regulate body weight as their fats are not fully absorbed, they regulate food intake, and help burn energy.

Eating nuts on a regular basis may improve your health in many ways.

Broccoli

As well as being a low-calorie source of dietary fiber, broccoli may be good for the brain. Broccoli is rich in compounds called glucosinolates. When the body breaks these down, they produce isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates may reduce oxidative stress and lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Broccoli is a source of two crucial nutrients that help improve brain function. Vitamin K helps to strengthen cognitive abilities while Choline has been found to improve memory – people who eat plenty of broccoli perform better on memory tests.

Oranges

Oranges are among the world’s most popular fruits, as they’re both tasty and nutritious. They are a good source of vitamin C, as well as several other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For this reason, they may lower your risk of heart disease and kidney stones.