Foods That Make You Smarter
10 Veggies, Fruit & Herbs to Increase Brain Health & Improve Memory
May 8, 2008 Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
“Mother Nature's foods and natural medicines are more powerful than any drug in the prevention of brain diseases,” says Michelle Schoffro Cook, author of The Brain Wash. These foods provide nutrients for brain health, improve memory, and boost cognitive ability. They may not raise your IQ to the genius level, but they will make you healthier and smarter.
10 Foods That Increase Brain Health
1. Red cabbage. The anthocyanins in red cabbage not only improve brain function, they also promote cardiac health and provide cancer protection. Other healthy cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower. These foods can not only make you smarter, they also guard against cancer development, increase your body’s detoxification enzymes, and help protect against stroke.
2. Healthy fats. “The fats in dairy, meats and oils are important for the production of acetylcholine, which is crucial for memory formation and general neural integrity,” says Dr Pierce Howard in The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. Fish and seafood are a great way to increase your healthy fat intake. Salmon, char, haddock, shrimp, rainbow trout and sardines are foods that fight disease because of their high omega-3 fish oils. Healthy fats contain important nutrients for brain health.
3. Tomatoes. The lycopene in tomatoes is a powerful antioxidant that fights disease by neutralizing free radicals, the molecules that damage or destroy brain cells. Tomatoes also stimulate the production of carnitine, which increases your body’s fat-burning capacity. Even pizza sauce can improve memory and brain function.
4. Ginger. “Fresh ginger is one of the best natural anti-inflammatory foods,” says Michelle Schoffro Cook in The Brain Wash. This herb not only blocks the formation of the inflammatory compounds that lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, it also fights acidity in the body. The antioxidants in ground cloves, cinnamon, dried oregano and turmeric are also helpful in protecting the brain and improving cognitive functioning.
5. Beans, legumes and soy. Black beans, soybeans, split peas and tofu are among the “bean and pea” family of foods that fight disease. Legumes and soy foods are low in fat and high in protein, and help ward off heart disease and prostrate cancer. Beans contain high amounts of thiamine, a B-vitamin key in building healthy brain cells and improving cognitive function.
6. Berries. Blueberries and strawberries are particularly high in polyphenols, which are a category of flavonoids. Research shows that these berries can reverse some effects of age-related brain decline; other scientists found that flavonoids work with vitamin C to prevent that vitamin’s breakdown and boost the fight against free radicals. Berries also guard against macular degeneration, various cancers, and brain cell loss. Improving your memory and increasing your brain health can be as simple as eating a quarter cup of blueberries every day.
7. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3s, which prevent the decline of cognitive and motor function. Research shows that the combination of omega-3s and uridine (found in sugar beets or molasses) increases brain resiliency and improves cell functioning. This duo also balances the unstable neurotransmitters that can cause depression and other mood disorders. A handful of walnuts every day can improve your brain health.
8. Egg yolks. The choline in yolks improves memory, learning, and cognition. New research shows that choline can improve damaged brain cells caused by alcohol exposure in the womb. “Early dietary interventions may reduce the severity of some fetal alcohol effects, even when administered after birth,” say San Diego State University scientists. Choline boosts cell production, which increases your memory and cognitive function. Other sources of choline are skim milk, breast milk, nuts, and meats.
9. Rosemary. This herb counteracts the ill effects of aging and provides protection from brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Rosemary also contains carnosic acid, which protects you from possible stroke and neurodegeneration, and antioxidants, which fight free radicals, toxic byproducts of natural cell metabolism.
10. Avocados. “Magnesium is involved with countless biological and chemical functions in the body, particularly in stabilizing brain wave patterns and in increasing blood flow to the brain,” says Schoffro Cook in The Brain Wash. Avocados and artichokes are high in magnesium – and so are whole grains and nuts.
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