Did you know you can have a healthy brain by adding these foods to your diet?
Health and nutrition are extremely close and intrinsically connected, so it is no surprise that in order to have a healthy brain, you should make sure to have a balanced and nutritious diet.
However, there are specific ingredients you should incorporate into your diet to ensure the health of your brain remains intact.
After all, as we age, all parts of our body can end up deteriorating, and the brain is yet another muscle that we need to train but also support.
In the end, we are what we eat, so we need to strive to make healthy choices.
When it comes to maintaining our brains and making sure we do not end up experiencing anything, adding these foods to your weekly food rotation will definitely make a difference.
In the end, a few simple changes are a little price to pay for a healthy brain and a boost in brain power, right?
Keep on reading to discover the delicious foods that keep your brain in tip-top shape, even years into your retirement!
Which ones surprised you? Did you already eat some of them? Share your answers with us in the comments!
Olive oil
You have probably heard about how olive oil is integral to the Mediterranean diet, which has been making waves in North America for the last few years.
However, did you know it is also part of the DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay and/or MIND Diet?
These diets are designed to promote and maintain a healthy brain, and olive oil is an important part of them.
This is because it has a lot of healthy properties, and research done on the effects of the oil shows that it is linked to proteins beneficial to Alzheimer’s disease.
What’s more, it also has other health benefits since the fatty acids in its components have both anti-inflammatory effects and decreased cholesterol levels.
Along with these, studies have shown it is also beneficial in cases of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Extra virgin olive oil is great to use for cooking and also as a dressing for salads, so adding it to more of your meals is not hard.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are known to be great sources of healthy fats and protein, and there are actual studies that have proven that there are nuts that are beneficial and improve memory, thus maintaining a healthy brain.
The most important nut for brain health is walnuts, but there are many others that you can add to your diet, and they are going to have a number of health benefits.
They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants, which are known to be beneficial for the brain.
A study from UCLA showed that people who have a walnut-rich diet scored better in cognitive tests after this diet change.
In the end, you can easily add some more nuts to your diet (if you know you are not allergic), as you can add some nuts and seeds as a snack throughout your day.
Just make sure you do not add too many, as they are still quite fatty, and that you opt for raw nuts, since that way you can avoid adding an excess sodium intake to your diet too.
If you are looking for reasonably priced and delicious walnuts, these ones here are our favorites!
Spinach and other leafy greens
Yes, you do have to eat your greens! At this point in life, we have all realized that we need to eat them because they are healthy for us, not just because, back in the day, moms had to make us eat them.
While some people still hate the idea of spinach and leafy greens, it may be because they have not found the best way to cook them so they appeal to their palates.
If you want to make use of your healthy brain, then you should really start to explore and experiment with your diet with all types of leafy greens, since they are integral to the MIND diet.
The likes of spinach, kale, broccoli, collards, and many others are full of nutrients, folates, and vitamin E which are just examples of them that are essential for a healthy body and mind.
What’s more, they are also full of beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin K, and folate, which are known and proven to be the most brain-health-beneficial nutrients you can have in your diet.
A great way to add more of these greens to your diet is to not only research more plant-based recipes but also add them to smoothies and be more conscious of them and their role in impeding cognitive decline.
Berries
Berries have been on a ton of health-benefit food lists, and this is because of their superfood status due to their antioxidant content.
They are known to be a powerhouse of health, and it is no different when it comes to having a healthy brain, as they are amazing at preventing cognitive decline.
The ones that are named most in the fight against cognitive decline are blueberries, while blackberries and strawberries are known to boost cognitive functions.
They contain flavonoids, which end up giving the fruits their vibrant, distinctive colors and improving their memory.
Studies done by Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital have shown that women who eat two or more servings of blueberries and strawberries have managed to delay memory decline over the course of two and a half years.
This is not to say that men would not see similar results, but rather it proves how these delicious berries will make for more than just a tasty snack or dessert!
Bone Broth
Bone broth is one of the best ways to increase the amount of collagen you ingest, along with other health benefits in the form of support for the immune system and healing compounds such as proline, glutamine, and glycine.
The amount of collagen in bone broth is known to reduce intestinal inflammation, and you can easily use it to either make delicious soups or as a replacement for stock in various recipes.
What’s more, research has shown in later years that bone broth has a beneficial effect on cognitive performance and can even improve sleep quality!
So every time you are craving bone broth soup, remember that it is way healthier than you remembered.
Keep in mind to be mindful when buying bone broth from the store about the sodium and fat contents, as all the health benefits can be denied if they have way too many of these components. The safest bet is to make it at home!
Beets
Beets are one of the vegetables that do not get seen that much, and this is a shame given that they are known to be nutritious and an amazing ally in maintaining brain health!
Beets have a high content of nitrates and antioxidants, which in turn aid the blood’s circulation to the brain, enhancing its cognitive performance.
Another nutrient contained in beets that is known to be crucial for brain function is betaine; this nutrient ends up ensuring there is no buildup of homocysteine in your blood, thus impeding the formation of brain fog and impaired brain function.
Beets are also easy to add to your diet, even if it seems like the taste could pose some issues.
You can make a simple roasted beet salad as a side dish for your meal while also adding it to your fruit juices and smoothies if you want to mask the taste.
There are a lot of foods that are going to be beneficial for your health, including your memory! If you are curious about other foods that could end up preserving your memory as you go further into your golden years, check out this article here!
