When it comes to your brain health, eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones should be a top priority. The right foods provide energy, support your physical health, and support your body’s metabolism. Eating a diet rich in healthy fats, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other key nutrients is important for optimizing your brain health. These foods can positively support your brain health and mood.

There’s also a powerful connection between the gut and the brain. The network of neurons lining our guts is so extensive, some scientists call it the “second brain.” It plays a significant role in determining our mental state and plays key roles in certain diseases throughout the body.

Researchers have found that the health of your gut can influence your thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors, memories, and overall cognitive function. Therefore, your gut health is directly related to your brain health, and both need to perform at their best. 

Here are some foods that can positively affect your brain. 

Omega-3 fatty fats. A large body of scientific research suggests that diets that are rich in omega-3 fatty fats, particularly docosahexanoic acid (DHA), are associated with supported brain health.

Flavanoids (Antioxidants), found in foods like green tea, coffee, cocoa, red wine, vegetables, and fruits, correlate to supported cognitive function.

B vitamins, particularly B6, folate, and B12, have been shown to have positive effects on memory and support brain health. We advocate the methylated versions; read about the importance of methylation.

Vitamin D. Researchers have found that concentrations of vitamin D, which the body produces from sunlight exposure and is found in fatty fish, mushrooms, and dairy, are related to brain health. It also helps support mood, immunity, and builds healthy bones.

Additional vitamins (e.g., vitamin C and E) and various nutrients (e.g., choline, calcium, copper, iron, selenium, and zinc) have been found to play important roles in brain function and delaying decline. This means these vitamins and nutrients play both short- and long-term roles.

By making some changes in your diet, you may significantly support your brain health. Start now by reducing the foods that contribute to not feeling your best and upping the foods that contribute to wellness.

Food suggestions for good health

Subtractions

  • Eliminate most sugar, all fruit juice, and all sugary sodas.
  • Eat fruit but choose lower glycemic, higher antioxidant fruits, such as blueberries.
  • Eliminate most dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) if it tends to make you congested or phlegmy.

Additions

  • Increase leafy green veggies (kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens). Try to get 2 servings of veggies at each meal.
  • Eat plenty of high-quality proteins (beans, grass-fed or pasture-raised lean meats, wild-caught fish, pasture-raised poultry).
  • Eat high-quality fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, butter, ghee) at each meal.

Brain healthy meal ideas

Morning

  • Berry Smoothie
  • Vegetable Omelet
  • Coconut Berry Shake
  • Grainless Granola with 4oz Amasai (a fermented African dairy drink)

Lunch

  • Superfood Salad
  • Grass-Fed Beef Stir-Fry
  • Salad with Chicken, Salmon, or Eggs
  • Grass-Fed Hot Dogs with Sauteed Peppers and Onions
  • Vegetable Soup

Afternoon

  • 1/4 cup Almonds or Pumpkin Seeds
  • 1/4 cup Hummus or Guacamole with Vegetables
  • Amasai or Coconut Milk with Chia Seeds

Dinner

  • Wild Salmon with Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Carrot Medley
  • Grass-Fed Burger w/ Raw Cheddar and Sauteed Greens
  • Organic Free-Range Chicken Tenders with Mixed Vegetables
  • Grass-Fed Meat Chili with Mashed Cauliflower
  • Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap

 

    Madhavi Gupta, MD

    Madhavi Gupta, MD

    Madhavi Gupta, MD is the founder and CEO of Best Nest Wellness. Dr. Gupta is a board-certified neurologist and has won The People’s Choice Award as a favorite doctor three years in a row. She holds a degree in biochemistry and humanities from MIT, completed her neurology residency in New York City, and completed her fellowship in headache medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

    References

    1. Romijn JA, Corssmit EP, Havekes LM, Pijl H. Gut-brain axis. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008;11(4):518-521. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e328302c9b0.
    1. McCann JC, Ames BN. Is docosahexaenoic acid, an n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, required for development of normal brain function? An overview of evidence from cognitive and behavioral tests in humans and animals. Am J Clin Nut. 2005;82(2):281-295.
    1. Letenneur J, Proust-Lima C, Le Gouge A, Dartigues JF, Barberger-Gateau P. Flavonoid intake and cognitive decline over a 10-year period. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;165(12):1364-1371. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm036.
    1. Bryan J, Calvaresi E, Hughes D. Short-term folate, vitamin B-12 or Vitamin B-6 supplementation slightly affects memory performance but not mood in women of various ages. J Nutr. 2002;132(6):1345-1356.
    1. Przbelski RJ, Binkley NC. Is vitamin D important for preserving cognition? A positive correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration with cognitive function. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2007;460(2):202-205. Doi:10. 1016/j.abb.2006.12.018.