DIET AND FITNESS:
Top 10 Brain Foods
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June 15, 2011
By Michael Chang, Contributing Columnist
The cliché “you are what you eat” turns out to have some
truth. While there is no miracle food that will instantly turn
you into the next Einstein, the nutrients and vitamins of
particular foods can have powerful properties that can allow
you to be at your personal mental best. According to a 2008
UCLA School of Medicine Study, specific nutrients and dietary
factors can have an impact on your cognitive ability. So, the
next time you decide on a study snack, it might behoove you
to really think about whether those fries are really the best
choice for you—and not just for your swimsuit body.
These so-called “brain foods” may have different properties,
whether it boosts memory function, combats depression,
wards of brain diseases, or simply increases mental
alertness. By incorporating the following “brain foods” into
your diet, you can ensure your personal mental best, while
protecting your cognitive functions throughout your lifetime.
Top 10 Brain Foods to Improve Cognitive Function
1. Improve Your Memory with Fresh Blueberries
Start your day with blueberries to boost your brain power.
Often regarded as “superfoods,” blueberries contain the
antioxidant, caffeic acid, that have been seen as particularly
beneficial for cognitive activity. Caffeic acid protects neurons
and can prevent neural degeneration. With more
antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetables, they are also
packed with vitamins C and E, potassium, calcium, folic acid,
and fiber.
Can blueberries make you smarter? Apparently so. According
to a small 2010 University of Cincinnati study, older adults
who consumed a few glasses of blueberry juice improved
their scores on a learning and memory test by at least 20
percent. While findings are not yet conclusive, this hints at
the possibility that eating blueberries can help fend off
memory loss at old age.
Don't Mix Blueberries with Milk
Studies over and over have proven the cognitive benefits of
blueberries. However, a recent study by the 2009 Free
Radical Biology and Medicine study suggests that consuming
blueberries with milk can block the health benefits. This
study was conducted jointly by Friesland College in the
Netherlands, the National Research Institute on Food and
Nutrition in Italy and the Research Institute for Exploitation
Technology of Agricultural Products in Italy.
The findings suggests that while eating your cereal with
blueberries in milk may be tasty, you won’t reap the benefits
of this brain food, unless you eat them fresh. (Blueberries
can also help to reduce abdominal fat. Read more.).
2. Wild Salmon Can Ward off Brain Diseases
(Neuropsychiatric Conditions)
Omega-3 fatty acids has been proven to have many mental
health benefits, including the slowing of cognitive issues.
According to a 2005 Louisiana State University study, omega-
3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease a number of
neuropsychiatric conditions, such as Alzheimer’s Disease,
Attention Deficit Disorder, Shizophrenia, and Depression.
And one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids is wild
salmon.
Incorporating this fish into your regular diet might also have
the added benefit of staving off depression. According to a
2007 University of Pavia study, intake of omega-3
supplements in elderly women suffering from depression
saw in improvement in their general disposition on life. Not
only can it fend off the oncoming Alzeimer’s common in the
elderly, but it can also reduce the likelihood that you suffer
from depression. ( Learn more foods that fight depression. )
Not only does wild salmon provides you incredible mental
health benefits, it is perhaps one of the healthiest foods
around possible. Its other health benefits, besides being one
of the best sources of essential fatty acids, is that it is a great
source of animal protein, low-saturated fat, and low mercury
contamination.
Wild Salmon Is Best
It is important to note, however, that these mental health
benefits of salmon can be best obtained only in wild salmon,
rather than farm-raised seafood. And while eco-friendly,
wild-caught salmon can be much more expensive, the
benefits for your brain—and the rest of body—are well worth
it.
3. Acai Berries as the Ultimate Superfood, Warding off Anti-
Inflammation Effects
Found in the heart of South America, this Acai berry native
to the Amazon not only contains all the antioxidants and
vitamins of other purple fruits, like blueberries, it is also a
great source of Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-3s. And to
top it off, it is even a great source of protein. No wonder,
many regard it as a superfood.
Acai berries may protect your brain against aging. According
to US Department of Agriculture, the anti-inflammatory
effects of acai berries have been found to reduce many age-
related and neurodegenerative conditions.
What this means is that this berry, commonly found in Brazil,
can have many highly-coveted anti-aging properties. But
more importantly, the anti-inflammatory properties, as well
as the antioxidants, protect the brain so that cognitive
conditions are prevented or at least, stalled. It comes as no
surprise that many in the US, Australia, and Europe are
finding ways to import this easily degradable berry into their
markets. And thanks to the technology of flash-freeze
drying, companies have been able to lock the full health
benefits of the berries so that others throughout the world
can enjoy its incredible health properties.
4. Matcha Tea’s Antioxidants Can Prevent Brain Cell Damage
Green tea has always been lauded for its antioxidant and
health benefits. It might come as a shock to you --- that
green tea you have been drinking in the teabags has minimal
health benefits, compared to what the real deal “brain food”
—matcha tea—can offer you. Matcha green tea, comes in
finely-grounded powder form of the quality, carefully grown,
and even more carefully selected Gryokuru green tea plan
leaves. It is dried, stone-ground, and processed precisely;
not like your average green tea.
Bright green in color and rich in chlorophyll, matcha green
tea boasts a number of health benefits for your brain.
Matcha tea contains more than 10 times the level of
antioxidants in green tea and 33 times that of antioxidant
powerhouse—the blueberry. Consequently, matcha tea can
more effectively cleanse your body of unwanted toxins and
free radicals.
Because drinking matcha tea can prevent damage to brain
cells, it helps protect your cognitive functions and slows the
onset of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and memory issues.
According to 2011 Newcastle University’s Medicinal Plant
Research Group study, the properties of the tea during
digestion can work against triggers of Alzheimer’s.
Lastly, matcha tea increases concentration while improving
your general mood. Historically, matcha tea has been used
by Buddhist monks in Japan during meditation processes
and ceremonies, given its calming effects.
5. Curry Eliminates Damaging Plague to Fight Alzheimer’s
The Indian entrée of curry might not just a taste into the
exotic herb-and-spice flavors of the South Asian
subcontinent anymore. It might also serve some mental
health benefits, as a 2005 University of California, Los
Angeles study suggests that the primary ingredient of curry—
curcumin—works to rid the immune system of amyloid beta,
a protein that builds to form plague that targets the brains of
Alzheimer’s patients.
According to the findings, only one percent of elderly
Indians developed the disease—a mere quarter of the U.S.
national rate. And this is in addition to its already-
documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
6. Pumpkin Seeds Enhance Memory and Fight Depression
Continue Reading page 1 page 2
You're just getting started. Learn more about the
relationship between your diet and your risk for other
diseases and conditions: Bipolar Disorder-An Ideal
Diet/ADHD-Causes and Top 10 Natural Remedies /10 Foods
That Fight Depression / How Much Is Too Much Salt?
/Sugar-The Disease Connection / Are Diet Sodas Bad for
Your Health? / Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics / Ideal
Breakfast for Arthritis /Healing Foods Links / Foods That
Shrink Your Waist / Foods That Lower Cholesterol/ VLDL-
The Other Cholesterol/ Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
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