A few great tasting foods that promote healthy brain function include, Blueberries, Wild Salmon, Nuts and Seeds, Avocado, Whole Grains and Beans.
I personally really enjoy my blueberries as they taste great and studies have found they may help your motor skills and learning capacity. They have also been found to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may assist in limiting age related conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Some experts recommend having about 1 cup of blueberries daily, so I like to have frozen blueberries in Greek yoghurt.
Wild salmon is another great food for the brain. For good brain function, the brain needs Omega-3 essential fatty acids, and wild salmon is a major source for fuelling our brains. I always aim to have salmon twice per week and enjoy it with vegetables such as broccoli, pumpkin, green beans etc.
Nuts and seeds are another food good for our brains, with its Vitamin E properties. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and can assist in keeping the brain sharp. Vitamin E can also help protect us against some toxins such as air pollution, diabetes, neurological diseases etc. I usually have a small serving of almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts or flax seed during the day to help maintain a good balanced diet.
Avocado is another fruit that promotes healthy brain function. Avocado is a fruit high in fat however, it is a healthy fat know as monounsaturated fat which, helps maintain good blood flow throughout the body. Avocados have been known to lower blood pressure which also promotes good brain function. Avocados are one of my favourite fruits so I like to add about ¼ of avocado to my salads and they wouldn’t taste the same without Avocados smooth texture and flavour.
The brain needs good blood flow to function healthily and whole grains can be an essential element in ensuring sufficient blood flow reaches our brain. Studies have indicated some other great benefits associated with regular whole grain consumption including the potential to reduce health conditions such as heart disease. For my servings of whole grains, I add brown rice to my chicken and vegetable dishes, however, you can also gain good servings of wholegrain in oatmeal and wholegrain breads.
Our brains need glucose (blood sugar) for fuel so beans are a useful food that can help stabilise our glucose levels. Experts recommend having about ½ a cup per day of beans. On occasions, I put black beans in with my salads or include them in slow cooked soups. Yummy!
Moderation is very important in our lives especially when it comes to nutrition. I always promote a good balanced variety of proteins, carbohydrates and fats in our everyday diets. With that being said, tomorrow’s lunch will be salmon, vegetables and salad with a sprinkle of seeds. Who’s joining me?