Brain
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Kitchen Brain Boosters: Supercharge that grey matter!
Do you ever:
• Wake up in the morning feeling as tired as when you turned in,
• find yourself dozing off in the middle of class;
• or find yourself in the middle of a thought….and –poof- suddenly it’s gone?
Your brain is hungry!
Though it doesn’t growl like your stomach does, your brain needs fuel too. Since the brain can’t store glucose, it needs a continuous source of fuel from foods.
Basic rule for brain smarts: Stay fueled! Always eat a nutritious breakfast and continue with healthy meals and snacks throughout the day.
Eat the right foods and stay fueled to:
• Boost your IQ!
• Sharpen your memory!
• Focus your concentration!
• Improve your mood!
Yes, eating right can supercharge your brain and keep you smiling!
BEST BRAIN BOOSTERS:
• Fish your way to being focused. Salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel can boost memory, which comes in handy when you have a test tomorrow. Enjoy fish twice a week. Snack on sardines, serve salmon for dinner.
• Blueberries pack power for improving memory and helping brain cells “talk” to one another. Sprinkle on whole grain cereal like oatmeal, stir into yogurt, or eat a bowl as a snack. Frozen blueberries provide the same benefits as fresh ones. Eat a cup a day, or more if you’re a blueberry hound!
• Whole grains rev up your memory. Choose whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, barley, oatmeal and popcorn. Enjoy 2-4 servings every day.
• Nuts! Walnuts and almonds help keep your focus sharp, with Vitamin E along with omega-3 fatty acids. Sunflower seeds and peanuts support brain function with Vitamin E. Sprinkle on a green salad, stir into oatmeal, munch on a handful.
• Go green. Dark leafy greens like spinach are rich in folic acid, which supports healthy brain function, fights fatigue, helps concentration, and boosts your mood. Eat 2 cups in a salad; steam or sauté in a little olive oil with some onion.
• Avocados and other foods rich in flavonoids—blueberries, strawberries, Concord grape juice and cranberries, help protect your thinking process.
• Protein power: Fight fatigue by eating lean protein throughout the day. Lean poultry, lean meats, soy foods, eggs, beans and low-fat dairy foods are good choices. Protein choices rich in zinc, like lean beef, sharpen short-term memory and attention span. Eggs, which contain choline, will help you remember which came first (….the chicken or the egg?).
• Water is more than a thirst-quencher. If you’re dehydrated, your math skills, short-term memory and reaction time can all be impaired. Water is vital to concentration and mental alertness, so drink up! At least 6 to 8 glasses a day.
• Keep your tank fueled. Especially when you need to be sharp, eat a protein-rich dinner the night before a test, eat a good breakfast, drink water and snack throughout the day.
THINK. ABOUT. IT.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in the brain, which help cells communicate with each other. These chemical messengers are composed of amino acids, which are found in protein rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Vitamins and minerals have the magic keys for converting amino acids to neurotransmitters. So it’s easy to see why the foods we eat play a key role in boosting brain power. We all need a boost when exams are around the corner!
Fat is phat:
Omega-3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish, are essential to boosting cognitive performance. When we eat fat, it’s broken down into fatty acids, taken up by brain cells and incorporated into cell membranes. Therefore, brain cell membranes are rich in fat, making fat vital to brain cell function. Omega-3 fatty acids are “essential” because the body is not able to make them, so they must be obtained in the food we eat. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel are excellent sources of omega-3’s.Other good sources include walnuts, almonds, soybeans, eggs and green leafy vegetables.
You must remember this:
B-Vitamins include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid, cobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid (B5), niacin (B3) and biotin. These vitamins are responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides energy. They also break down fats and protein, which aids in the function of the nervous system.
Cobalamin, commonly known as vitamin B12, has been shown to improve memory. Good sources of B vitamins include whole grain bread, beans, chicken and eggs.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that zaps free radicals that damage brain tissue. Egg yolk, almonds, sunflower seeds, dry-roasted peanuts are good sources.
Flavonoids, which act as antioxidants, inhibit inflammation of cells. This anti-inflammatory effect helps protect against cognitive decline. Flavonoids are found in avocados, blueberries, strawberries, Concord grape juice and cranberries.
