What can you eat to make your brain work better? What foods improve memory? Advice from a nutritionist

It's no secret that the brain is the main organ of our nervous system, which is responsible for all mental activity, memory, the movements of our body and for processing information coming from the senses.

Its functions are so important and irreplaceable that surely each of us wondered what could be done to improve its performance. How can we bring our brain into such a working state that it can cope with the entire volume of information that fills our crazy rhythm of life, quickly analyze circumstances and make the right decisions, and protect us from stress, depression and apathy.

And indeed, it is in our power to help him, and therefore ourselves. Like any other organ of the human body, the brain needs certain vitamins, fats and amino acids found in food. And if you know what foods to consume for the brain, then it is quite possible to significantly increase its performance and prevent the inevitable age-related changes that occur due to the aging of brain cells.

Fatty fish

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Buy tuna, salmon and herring, salmon, coho salmon, trout, sardines - these types of fish contain fatty acids, vitamin D, zinc, selenium, and vitamin B12. These microelements have a positive effect on all brain functions. Deficiency leads to depression and absent-mindedness, and replenishment will prevent Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia. You will better perceive new and even complex information.

Also, fish and seafood reduce the level of bad cholesterol, cleanse the vascular walls of cholesterol plaques and supply oxygen to brain cells. Cook fish 2-3 times a week, and include seafood in your diet once a week.

Nutrition according to science: Five foods to improve brain function

According to our expert, several studies have shown that regularly consuming fatty sea fish helps maintain the amount of gray matter in the brain.

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How often our memory fails us. In the evening we put the keys somewhere, but in the morning we cannot find them. Which desk drawer is the passport in? Where is the receipt or tickets? And so we are constantly looking for something, remembering and complaining about our memory, which is constantly lame. Some take special courses of pills. But it turns out that memory can be improved by changing your diet. Executive Director of the National Research also spoke about the five most beneficial products for the brain from KP .

1. Oily fish from the northern seas

In Russia, these are herring (especially Ivasi), mackerel, halibut, flounder, chum salmon, and sockeye salmon. All of them are rich in unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids.

“These acids are very important for our brain, but are not produced by the body itself from other substances. This means that they can only do this with food,” explains Zinaida Medvedeva. — Studies have shown that omega-3 accelerates the regeneration of neurons and prevents oxidation, cell destruction, and reduces chronic inflammation in the central nervous system.

As for memory, it improves by normalizing the sensitivity of neurons. This effect is especially noticeable in adolescents, whose brains continue to develop, as well as in older people, in whom the concentration of omega-3 acids can offset the age-related effect of memory decline. According to our expert, several studies have shown that regularly consuming fatty sea fish helps maintain the amount of gray matter in the brain. Zinaida Medvedeva recommends eating this fish twice a week.

2. Cold pressed flaxseed oil

This product is a valuable source of so-called polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

“Such acids are also necessary for our brain to maintain full memory,” says the expert. — PUFAs are found in all kinds of vegetable oils.

Of all the variety, Zinaida Medvedeva pays attention to linseed oil. In 100 grams it contains about 70% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is recommended to consume a teaspoon of flaxseed oil per day. You can use it to dress salads, dip bread or crackers in it. But you shouldn’t fry eggs on it, because at high temperatures polyunsaturated fatty acids are destroyed.

3. Whole wheat flour

This is flour from whole grain ground, along with its shells and germ, which are removed during the production of regular, refined flour.

— This flour contains much more fiber compared to regular flour. And fiber, in turn, provides additional fuel for the intestinal microbiota, which synthesizes a lot of bioactive substances for our brain, explains Zinaida Medvedeva. — The microbiome is even called the second brain. The body's antioxidant system is strengthened, which is necessary to maintain its functions, including long-term memory.

So, when you buy flour, it is better to take whole grain flour instead of the usual white flour, the expert advises. If you buy bread in a store, try to take one where the first place in the composition is whole grain flour (it can be wheat for white bread and peeled rye for black). This bread may seem a little darker and coarser, but it will help support brain health.

Egg yolk contains a very useful substance: choline.

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4 eggs

Egg yolk contains a very useful substance: choline. This element, as our expert says, is similar in its action to the action of B vitamins, which increase the speed of impulse transmission from one nerve cell to another.

— Choline is actively involved in many processes in the body, but is especially important for the nervous system. It helps its proper functioning. In addition, choline is part of the myelin sheaths that surround brain cells and nourish them, adds Zinaida Medvedeva.

At the same time, do not forget that eggs contain a lot of cholesterol. Therefore, it is optimal to eat one egg a day, the expert advises. By the way, the beneficial properties of choline are preserved with all cooking methods - frying, hard-boiling, etc.

5. Dark chocolate

This delicacy is beneficial for our brain due to the flavonoids and antioxidants found in cocoa beans. Dark chocolate contains the maximum amount of cocoa beans, which means there are more nutrients than other types of chocolate.

“Antioxidants fight so-called free radicals (flavonoids have a similar effect), explains Zinaida Medvedeva. — These are “damaged” cells in our body that negatively affect, among other things, the brain.

It is also known that dark chocolate is good for mental performance, since glucose is the main source of energy for brain cells. The authoritative international scientific journal NEJM even published an article confirming the existence of a connection between the amount of chocolate consumed per capita in a country and the number of Nobel laureates.

Pumpkin seeds

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The composition includes nutrients that are responsible for the control of nerve impulses, calmness and support mental processes. Pumpkin seeds also contain zinc, which is indispensable for healthy biochemical processes, cell renewal, and strong immunity. On average, 100 grams of pumpkin seeds eaten cover 80% of the daily requirement for zinc.

All the vitamins and minerals contained in pumpkin seeds improve memory - a must-have product for those who engage in mental work.

Broccoli

Nutrients:

vitamin K, magnesium.

Many people don't like green broccoli florets. However, they are an excellent source of vitamin K and magnesium, both of which help improve brain activity, so it's worth taking a closer look at.

Good in any form: how to use avocado oil

It will come in handy not only in the kitchen.

What is the MIND Diet?

MIND is an acronym for Mediterranean - DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay .

The MIND Diet aims to reduce dementia and the decline in brain health that often occurs with age. It combines aspects of two very popular diets: the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH).

Many experts consider the Mediterranean and DASH diets to be among the healthiest diets. Studies have shown that they can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and several other diseases (, , ,).

But researchers wanted to create a diet specifically to improve brain function and prevent dementia.

To do this, they combined foods from the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which has been shown to benefit brain health.

For example, both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet recommend eating plenty of fruit. Eating fruit was not associated with improved brain function, but eating berries was (, ).

Thus, the MIND diet encourages the consumption of berries, but does not emphasize fruit consumption in general.

There are currently no set rules for following the MIND diet. Simply include lots of foods in your diet from the 10 food groups below that the diet recommends for you, and fewer foods from the 5 groups below that the diet recommends you limit.

The next two sections discuss which foods to eat and which to avoid.

Summary:

The MIND diet combines the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet to create a diet designed to reduce the risk of dementia and decline in brain health that people often experience as they age.

Microwave popcorn

Popcorn itself, prepared in the traditional way without adding flavors and dyes, is not harmful. It contains a lot of vitamins, fiber, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and other micro- and macroelements.

Popcorn in bags that are intended to be cooked in the microwave is dangerous. It contains diacetyl, a substance responsible for the “creamy” taste. When heated, it becomes a "bad guy" that can cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupting brain activity.

There is a suggestion that diacetyl is one of the probable causes of the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The danger doesn't end there. The walls of the bag are treated with perfluorooctanoic acid, which provides non-stick properties. This substance is recognized as carcinogenic. It's not just the brain that can be damaged!

Fast food

Fast food is different from fast food. Today there are a lot of absolutely “healthy” and “correct” options. Classic hamburgers with mayonnaise sauces should have no place in your diet. Recently, research conducted at the University of Montreal confirmed that regular consumption of fast food changes the chemical composition of the brain. The result of this can be unpredictable: from worsening mood and irritability to more global “catastrophes”.

5 more important recommendations

Any diet is associated with restrictions. This will not happen with a “smart” diet if you implement a few tricks in nutrition management.

1. To avoid the temptation to eat something inappropriate while following MIND, it is better not to go to public catering . It is also advisable to always have lunches on hand, loading them into convenient lunch boxes.
2. For convenience, some vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, etc. can be ground into smoothies by adding yogurt or homemade yogurt. It will be convenient to pour it into special shaker mugs and take it with you outside the home. Plus, it can turn out very tasty.
3. The entire daily diet can be divided not into three meals, but more, highlighting snacks. For example, fruits, berries and nuts can not always be added to porridge, but consumed separately.
4. To diversify your diet, you can prepare simple desserts from healthy ingredients. For example, grind and mix nuts, seeds, dried fruits, citrus fruits and brain-friendly honey, forming healthy “candies” from them. They are also convenient to take for snacks.
5. On the road, you can also prepare sandwiches from whole grain bread and nut butter, from bread and greens with vegetables, from bread and hummus, etc.

Sample menu for the week

The MIND diet provides a fairly rich selection of healthy foods. From them you can prepare a very large number of dishes and create a varied menu.

Monday

1. Breakfast: oatmeal porridge with walnuts, yogurt with fresh blueberries, green tea with lemon.
2. Lunch: vegetable and bean soup, chicken meatballs, leafy vegetable salad with olive oil, dried apricot compote.
3. Dinner: boiled buckwheat with vegetable caviar, fresh apple, glass of red wine/lingonberry juice.

Tuesday

1. Breakfast: millet porridge with raisins, whole grain bread with honey, tea with lemon.
2. Lunch: fish soup, boiled lean turkey meat, cabbage and carrot salad, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil, apple compote.
3. Dinner: cottage cheese with herbs, sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange, berry jelly.

Wednesday

1. Breakfast: whole grain bread with Adyghe cheese, herbal infusion with honey.
2. Lunch: pearl barley soup, stewed cabbage, steamed fish fillet with lemon and herbs, prune compote.
3. Dinner: a portion of stewed beans with garlic and walnuts, green tea with honey and lemon.

Thursday

1. Breakfast: wheat porridge with fresh (frozen) strawberries, whole grain bread with honey, tea with lemon.
2. Lunch: fresh cabbage soup, beet salad, brown rice, chicken goulash, sea buckthorn compote
3. Dinner: broccoli with olive oil, a handful of hazelnuts, a glass of red wine/herbal decoction.

Friday

1. Breakfast: corn porridge with dried apricots and sunflower seeds, bread, tangerine, tea.
2. Lunch: lentil soup, Chinese cabbage salad with herbs, olive oil and lemon juice, cherry compote.
3. Dinner: curdled milk with fresh raspberries, whole grain bread, a handful of nuts.

Saturday

1. Breakfast: barley porridge with flaxseed, bread with honey, fresh pear, tea with lemon.
2. Lunch: fish soup, boiled buckwheat, iceberg salad with lemon and olive oil, pear compote.
3. Dinner: stewed zucchini with carrots and tomatoes, nuts, cranberry jelly.

Sunday

1. Breakfast: Whole grain bread with chickpea hummus, tea with honey and lemon.
2. Lunch: bean soup, carrot salad with garlic, currant compote.
3. Dinner: cottage cheese casserole with fresh (frozen) strawberries, bread with honey, a glass of red wine/herbal decoction with honey.

Alzheimer's disease cannot be overcome with medication alone. But it can be prevented with the right diet, if you make it the basis of your diet from a young age.

High glycemic index foods

Some foods can help the brain fight melancholy and despondency, while some can, on the contrary, contribute to the development of depression. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that postmenopausal women who eat foods with a high glycemic index (white bread, rice, cornflakes and potatoes) are more likely to experience depression. These foods can cause your sugar levels to suddenly rise, causing your body to produce more insulin. Consumption of sweetened drinks, refined foods and baked goods is also associated with an increased risk of depression. However, as the study states, any impact that any of these foods may have will be proportional to the proportion of these foods in the diet.

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Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are sold in retail trade and are freely available. Despite this, most of them can cause serious damage to health. Saccharin provokes exacerbation of cholelithiasis; cyclamate – causes kidney failure (banned in the USA, France and Great Britain since 1969); aspartame – can cause epilepsy, chronic fatigue, diabetes, brain tumors; Acesulfame contains methyl alcohol, which negatively affects the cardiovascular and nervous systems. After such a “dossier,” a spoonful of sugar will seem like a harmless “kitten.”

Sweet drinks

Sweet drinks have one “unpleasant” feature: they do not quench thirst (from the word “completely”), but only provoke hunger. And we are talking not only about soda, but also packaged juices. These drinks are based on high fructose corn syrup. In large quantities, it can cause arterial dysfunction, obesity and lead to insulin resistance, negatively affecting memory and learning ability.

Chips and croutons

I don’t think it’s necessary to talk about their harm, but I’ll remind you just in case. Such food not only disrupts metabolism and leads to eating disorders, but also negatively affects mental performance. The reason is the high content of trans fats. They can cause problems with concentration and memory. Scientists at the University of California and San Diego School of Medicine conducted an experiment that involved more than 1,000 volunteers. They were divided into two groups. The first had no foods containing trans fats in her diet, while the second, on the contrary, had more than half of them in her menu. At the end of the experiment, they were asked to reproduce a list of 86 words. Those who had trans fats in their diet remembered 12 fewer words on average. The conclusion suggests itself: execution cannot be pardoned.

Nuts

The brain is 60% fat, which is why it is important to provide it with fatty acids, but only the good ones, such as omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9. They protect our body from the formation of bad cholesterol, strengthen the walls of brain vessels and prevent cell aging. Pumpkin seeds are also good for the brain; they contain a lot of zinc and magnesium. These elements have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, improve blood circulation and memory. Plus, they improve your mood.

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