Are we getting wiser or more stupid with age? Scientifically, we are actually getting more stupid, for we lose about 1000 brain cells every day after the age of 25. Can we stop or reverse this process? The bad news is we are fighting with nature here, which triggers the process of aging after we become 25. The good news is some food items are fighting on our side. Here I discuss the good news.
Green Tea and Coffee
I have clubbed these two together because they are beverages, but they are good for the brain in entirely different ways. Green tea contains very high levels of antioxidants, which help remove free radicals from our body. Free radicals are charged particles, which have a wide range of harmful effects on our body. They also hamper the cognitive ability and performance of the brain by damaging neurons. Regular intake of antioxidant-rich food, such as green tea, can protect your brain from such damage.
Coffee contains caffeine, which has been proven to enhance brain performance. However, like sugar, caffeine has a temporary effect. You can have coffee just before starting any brain-intensive work.
There is one more reason why I suggest drinking coffee and green tea. They contain water. Yes, the brain needs to be regularly hydrated to perform at its best. Even mild dehydration can hamper its performance. So make sure you drink enough water everyday.
I suggest coffee in the morning and green tea in the evening. Caffeine will charge your brain up in the morning, whereas antioxidants will help your brain relax in the evening. And if you have to choose between the two, drink green tea. Its overall health benefits are much greater than that of coffee.
Good Fat
You may be surprised to know that your brain is almost 60% fat. That doesn't mean you should binge on oily food to boost your brain. What you can do is change your cooking oil to one that contains a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly good for the brain. Safflower and sunflower oils, which are promoted as good for the heart, contain 0mega-6 fatty acids but not much of omega-3 fatty acids. You can consider virgin olive oil or canola as candidates for cooking. Fish oils are good in low quantities, but avoid refined vegetable oil and rice bran oil.
You can also eat walnuts and almonds to fulfill your brain's need for good fat.
Fruits and Berries
We know why fruits and berries are so essential for the brain. They are rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B helps in providing energy to the brain, whereas A, C, and E participate in the process of memory. Sodium, potassium, and calcium are required for neurotransmission, and magnesium and manganese help in supplying energy to the brain.
Besides micronutrients, fruits also contain carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is essential to provide brain the energy for it functioning. It seems to have an immediate effect on the brain. Many world chess champions eat chocolates just before and during important chess tournaments. Chocolate contains cocoa and sugar. Cocoa provides antioxidants and sugar provides immediate energy to the brain. Sugar or carbohydrate also has a soothing effect on the brain.
But excess carbohydrate in food has become a major concern for this increasingly sedentary generation. Remember that we get complex forms of carbohydrates from fruits compared to other sugar-rich foods. Complex carbohydrates provide constant energy over a period of time instead of a burst of energy immediately after eating. So unless you are playing chess with Gary Kasparov, you would do a lot of good to your brain by replacing chocolates or sugary snacks with fruits and berries. Even the antioxidant properties of fruits and berries are as good as those of cocoa.
Seafood
Seafood is undoubtedly the best brain food. Most sea fish like salmon, sardine, trout, mackerel, herring and tuna are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The neurotransmitters in our brain are composed of amino acids, that is, protein. The protein in sea fish is more easily digestible and causes less uric acid compared to meat. Besides sea fish, you should also eat shellfish such as oysters, mussels, crabs, lobsters, and prawns if you are not prone to high levels or uric acid in your blood. Shellfish contain generous amounts of iodine, selenium, vitamin b-12, thiamine and niacin. Crabs are rich in iron and calcium, while oysters are rich in zinc. Seaweeds or algae are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and iodine.
Why does seafood seem to contain all nutrients that our brain needs? Is it because that is where we and other life forms came from? Well, that's another type of food for you brain.
