The Best Foods To Give Your Brain A Boost

Achieving balance in your life is so freakin difficult. It is. How many of you can successfully say you achieve 8 hours of sleep, flawless skin, maintain a social life, have a steady income, workout “enough”, AND get the right foods into your diet? Like what? Do those humans exist? If they do, send them my way. I want to interview them.

This balancing act is the same for your brain. Your brain needs to be balanced out and in order to help that process, you have to eat the right foods, but you don't necessarily have to give up your sweet treats. 

This isn’t one of those “stop eating crap and you’ll be happy posts,” no, this is an, “if you incorporate these foods into your diet you’ll excel in anything and everything without flaw” post. Kidding, but certain foods are capable of enhancing certain functions in your brain. There are plenty of foods out there that are proven to help boost your brain and improve your memory, which will then (hopefully) help you balance out your entire life cycle of sleeping, skin care, eating right, etc.

Bring on the creativity because here are the top brain-boosting foods, along with a few suggestions on how to eat them:

Having a hard time remembering things? Eat Fish!

WHOA! Bet you didn’t see that coming. We can’t start things off without talking about fish! It’s been known for years that fish is brain food, and there are so many studies that back this up. Mainly, it’s down to the high omega-3 fats found in a lot of fish. Omega-3 fatty acids can’t be created by our bodies, so we have to get them from other sources. Fish is the best one since it’s easy for you to find, and there are so many amazing recipe ideas out there. Holla, at my Pinterest board.

Now, hear me out. I know supermarkets are WAY convenient but, I don’t really like to leave my house, (mainly my bed). So, if this is your lifestyle, buying fish online might be a good move for you. You have more selection with the type and quality., you all you have to do is pick it up from your doorstep. God bless the internet and delivery men.

Okay, back to the omega-3 fatty acids. They’re proven to help aid brain function and reduce the risks of memory issues such as dementia. So, if you’re not taking an omega-3 supplement, then you should start eating more fish. There are loads of ways you can cook this, but one of the most simple is baked salmon with some nice veggies on the side. Salmon is so high in omega-3, and it takes on flavors really well too. Baking it in tin foil helps make it succulent and juicy, and it goes well with any leafy greens. Add potatoes if you’re a carbavore like me.

Your caffeine fix not cutting it? Try some whole grains

Okay, this is a weird one as whole grains are more of an ingredient than an actual food source. But, that doesn’t take away from the fact that they’re essential for your brain health. Here, you’re getting something that provides your body with a steady supply of complex carbohydrates. This is essentially energy, which helps provide your brain with the power it needs to function. The beauty of whole grains is that they have a low-GI, so it releases glucose into your blood very slowly over a period of hours. All this glucose gets carried around your body, entering your brain, and keeping you nice and boosted. Eat in moderation because whole grains are still carbs and we don’t want any food comas in the middle of the day.

Whole grains are extremely easy to incorporate into your diet. Any type of regular carb you usually buy, you can supplement with whole grains. Instead of regular pasta use wholegrain pasta, instead of white bread use wholegrain bread - and so on. You can even add them when baking things like cakes or banana bread. Oh yeah, there’s your sweet fix.

Having a hard time concentrating? Indulge in Pumpkin Seeds

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is assuming that pumpkins are only useful on Halloween. As it happens, they’re an excellent food substance that can be turned into many delicious dishes. However, for brain balance purposes, what we’re after are the seeds. They are absolutely packed full of vitamins and minerals. As far as your brain goes, pumpkin seeds contain a lot of zinc. It’s thought that maintaining a high supply of zinc is a great way to improve your memory and increase your brain function. People that are deficient in this will often struggle to maintain concentration. As a bonus, these seeds are also high in protein and full of B vitamins and magnesium - all of which are great for maintaining overall health.

Of course, you can just buy pumpkin seeds and eat them straight out of the packet. It’s actually a perfect snack to keep you going throughout the day. Otherwise, you can sprinkle them on salads or use them to make a delicious pesto sauce. You can buy large packets for a pretty good price, and they keep for a relatively long time as well.

Can’t remember or have a hard time making decisions? Try some nuts

Following on from pumpkin seeds, which are nut texture like, nuts are another food that are great for your brain and can be used a daily snack. Nuts in all varieties are all considered to be wonderful fuel for your brain. They contain a lot of healthy fats - just like fish - and the main thing that sets them apart is Vitamin E. There’s a lot of this vitamin in nuts, which studies have shown can help reduce cognitive decline as you get older. So, eating a handful of nuts per day can boost your brain, and it's even shown that they can aid your memory as well. 

Much like pumpkin seeds, you can eat these in so many different ways. Grind them down to sprinkle over yogurt or salads, and eat handfuls when you’re peckish between meals. You don’t want to go overboard with nuts as they can contain a lot of calories. A favorite way to enjoy them is by making granola. There’s a recipe below that you can try out.

Memory loss is a REAL issue? Have some Blueberries

These babies have been scientifically proven to help improve memory loss or delay it. Nobody can really pinpoint one exact reason for this, but it’s worth knowing blueberries are considered a superfood because they’re full of antioxidants and vitamins/minerals that our bodies desperately rely on.

Enjoy blueberries on their own or as a topping for yogurt, cereals, or rice cakes. Or, if you want to make something indulgent, then there are plenty of cake recipes or crumbles that include this special fruit. 

So, if you’re looking for foods that can help improve your brain health, then these are your best bets. I’ve tried to include some ideas on how you can get them into your diet, and it really shouldn’t be too difficult. Yes, we love eating for the joy of tasting delicious things, but it’s also important to think about the impact food has on our health as well!