Top 10 Foods to Boost your Brain

The modern foodie looks for two things in food: flavor and health benefits. Within the last decade, there has been a tremendous change with how people treated their food. Diet is a word that experienced a major facelift, from a word that denotes “restriction” to one that connotes “health”. Over the few years, such healthy diet would call for an all-out decision to follow through with one system, South Beach or Atkins. Albeit, the best diet to date basically involves knowing which foods are good for you, which Dr. Dean Ornish, founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, soon established. He was first to institute that health, cardiovascular and brain, is unbelievably related to choices and changes in our diet and lifestyle without surgery and drugs. It’s time to clear the cupboard as we discover the Ultimate 10 of brain super foods. Look out for the last one…

Exactly, your breakfast-mate-slash-upper-slash-legal addiction...coffee is a brain booster indeed. Besides reducing the risk for Parkinson’s and gallstone diseases, dementia, and Alzheimer’s, drinking coffee increases short-term recall, IQ, and verbal memory. The good thing about coffee is its availability as a routine or habitual part of the diet. To some, coffee is a culture like in the Middle-East and the South East Asia, and people from these parts know very well that the initial extract is the best part in terms of flavour, aroma, acidity, and health. Beneficial to the brain are all that amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are most in the first gush. SO what is the best kind of coffee to drink? It’s black, it’s expresso, it’s americano...not a cup of brewed joe, and definitely not a mocha-frappa-latta thing. Like what they say, less is more, and, in this case, more nutrients.

Until Oprah’s frenzy on the Acai berry, the blueberry was the Master Antioxidant, but studies found the Acai berry’s antioxidant content is 100% higher than the blue superfood (no wonder it’s always written with a capital ‘A’). Antioxidants, rich in brightly- and deeply coloured fresh fruits, vegetables, as well as grain, delay the negative effects of aging, such as illnesses. The berry, prior the worldwide media exposure, is a staple to locals in the Amazon region of Brazil, where it is grown, harvested, and consumed by natives, who have long since believed it to have anti-cancer and weight loss properties. Shortly following its huge media premiere, the then humble berry became the subject of numerous scientists and nutritionists triangulating evidence of its miraculous claims.

But it doesn’t end there. The Acai berry has a bizarrely oily texture which results from its Omega-3 fatty acid content. Rather unusual for a berry, these omega fatty acids aid in neurotransmissions, at the same time preventing and delaying brain and neural deterioration which happens in age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease. In relation to weight loss, rough evidence continues to build up, although insufficiently to conclude anything. To benefit 100% from the Acai, the berries need to be consumed within a day at best vulnerable as it is to rancidity due to its oils, putting utter significance to preserving, processing, and packaging. Best you’ll have this is flash-frozen, powdered and pill-ed, or juiced.

So, beware as people tend to abuse the miracle of basically the name of “Acai” and launch a semantic confusion with a statement as “contains Acai”, not stating how much of it is in there. For this, check Sambazon and PowerScoop, or eat it fresh.

Out of all the candidates available in the Berry Kingdom, blueberries set the standards for the free-radical-fighting antioxidants. Blueberries enhance brain health by improving on neuron signals. These blue jewels, unlike no other fruit or vegetable, have compounds that enhance neuron signals, which are significantly weaker in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. These compounds also turn on systems in the brain and utilize proteins related to memory and cognitive skills.

But that’s not all. Apart from these compounds, antioxidants also UP brain function by, first, reducing damage to the lining of arteries which are responsible for proper blood flow to the brain. Then, antioxidants also prevent free-radicals from damaging cells in the body, nerve and brain cells, more importantly. So eating these deeply pigmented berries will preserve the brain system, at the same boost the potency of neuron signals and memory.

Frozen, preserved, the blue buddy’s availability beats the Acai berry anytime and rightfully maintaining its crown as king of the Berry Kingdom. So douse your daily breakfast with the blue crown jewels of health, with your yoghurt, pancake, or cereal, to make sure you’ll have no trouble finding your car keys...ever! Did I mention they’re good for the heart too?

Linseed oil or flax seed oil, they are one and the same. This has yet to be written in health books everywhere. Linseed oil is yellow, volatile, and edible. It is used as oil paint binder, wood finish, and nutritional supplement all at once. Flax seeds contain a class of phytoestrogens called lignans that have antioxidant and cancer-preventing qualities that tops other oils, head and shoulders, by 75-80%. Amongst all the vegetable oils, linseed oil has the highest levels of brain-enhancing and heart-friendly Omega-3 that is sure to beat even our tough contender, olive oil.

Linseed oil is also an abundant source of rare alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) normally found in breast milk, of all things. Did you know that this ALA is crucial to the brain development of babies, and as such, breast milk is best for babies? Nonetheless, ALA is valuable to all of us because, as with babies, those who are breastfed benefit from high amounts of DHA, red blood cells, and brain tissue. Flax-facts: flax seed is well-loved by bodybuilders, and with reason: vitamins, minerals, proteins, dietary fibre, and amino acids. That is how linseed oil rolls...or slides rather.

Yet, linseed oil can be a hit or miss. The Hit: It has no significant contraindications and has the highest levels of Omega-3 fatty acids amongst all vegetable oils. The Miss: Even when refrigerated, it easily oxygenizes and turns rancid. When it does, it becomes a breeding ground for brain and health damaging free-radicals, and may, thus, become cancerous when ingested. So you ask the immortal question, “How do I enjoy something that tastes so blah?”

By capsule, that’s how. Since this particular oil can’t be cooked lest it’s used to bind and finish wood, neither does it merge well with food flavours. Flax seed oil goes bad rather fast that capsules render the best containment and seal. Oh, and don’t forget, lignans, are naturally present in the seeds and are typically lost upon extraction of oil. So, look for lignan- or antioxidant- enriched linseed oil supplements, or just pop ‘em seeds in.

If flax seeds are too robust for your palate, this is the solution- chia seeds. Chia what right? This relatively unknown chia seed has been an age-old “pet” in the United States in the 1980’s when civilizations were ancient. No kidding! From toy to food shelves, the chia seeds are experiencing a facelift to become one of the new-age superfoods. The chia seed is generally unheard of except in the United States and South America where its benefits are widely celebrated.

The secret to the Aztecs’ advancement and strength, their discovery, the chia seed (also salvia hispanica) is brain food for 5 reasons: fibre, antioxidants, amino acides, Omega-3 and alpha-linoleic acid. The chia seed is a good source for these which can only mean prevention for a number of diseases. What makes this a brain booster is its Omega-3 fatty acid content that is, especially, necessary for brain enhancement.

The seed is also a work-out buff’s ultimate companion because it hydrates by absorbing water 10 times its weight, enhances energy and endurance, and keeps a person full due to its protein content, at the same time it cleanses the body, efficient in keeping the body toned, trim, and clean. Notwithstanding, it’s easy to eat and digest as well for its mild taste versus other seeds. To benefit from the super-nutrients of this food wonder, grind and mix with pinole for baking breads and cakes, drink with lemonade or any fruit juice, add to salads, or simply eat it raw - whatever your preference. For chia seed color and ultimate antioxidant levels, the operative word is black. Less is more, they say. In this case, 3 tablespoons of Chia seeds (a day).

"Chocolate is one of my favorite foods," says Dr. Ornish. Eating a piece of dark chocolate daily is good for both body and mind. It contains the flavonoids that fight free radicals, which can damage cells, as well as serotonin, which improves mood (and gives you that silly-grin feeling). And some research suggests that chocolate added to milk can reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Chocolate is always in the list for all things good in the world. We’ve already seen the other Aztec contribution to our brain boosters list such as Acai and Chia and I trust them on this one. An ounce of chocolate a day inhibits heart disease by preventing the oxidation of bad cholesterols. Chocolate that comes in form sans the sugar and milk bring out the brain enhancing miracle. Studies also suggest that chocolate added to milk can reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance. But that can be fattening. how can you enjoy chocolate in a healthy light?

• Cocoa powder. Cocoa in powder form holds more antioxidants than most chocolate products such as milk chocolate and candy bars, although processing decreases its antioxidant contents.

• Dark Chocolate with 70% of cocoa solids as fat in milk erases the antioxidant prowess of chocolate. If truth be told, a 40 gram-dark chocolate bar contains double the amount of antioxidants found in a glass of red wine. After all, the Nahuatl word for chocolate xocolatl means “bitter water”.

• Pure cacao derived from beans, compared to blueberries, is more than 10 times greater in ORAC or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, formulated by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), 26,000 versus 2,400.

Essentially, the flavonols in chocolate preserves the health and youth of blood vessels, therefore reducing the likelihood for developing diabetes (Type 2), high blood pressure, kidney disease, and dementia. Wonderful news for chocoholics, ain’t it? Still, MODERATION is key. Keeping a chocolate fountain this time and eat fruits with flowing dark chocolate, or nuts. Wanna know which nut is an amazing brain booster?

Chocolate combined with nuts becomes an Omega-3 power dose. Make that walnuts, the nut-ritional celebrity that is both healthy and tasty, and you’re well on your way to superior brain health. Walnuts are the healthiest of nuts and when added to salads or desserts, a handful of nutrients to benefit from. Walnuts, of all nuts in the planet, have the greatest amounts of antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids, not excluding, of course, protein, fibre, iron, calcium, potassium, and more! The direct effect of walnuts in the brain department is by sharpening memory. Middle-Easterns know so. Hence, they never forget walnuts in Mediterranean cuisine from sauce to main course to dessert. Nuts, vegetables, and small portions of meat make their cuisine among the healthiest.

You know some cultures who eat what they need? Middle-Eastern and South-Eastern Asians, for instance, eat brain to be smarter and healthier (in the brain department). Walnuts come so close looking like a brain, even on the inside. So if these people eat walnuts on that premise alone, they are in the right direction. Therefore, if fish ain’t your thing, walnuts are a viable source of healthy Omega-3 that is essential for brain maintenance and development.

Even with a pack of lab rats, studies show that eating nuts regularly helped these cute rodents to cut cholesterol preventing, not only breast cancer, but strokes too, at no extra calorie. Since walnuts contain heart-friendly monounsaturated fats, no one was getting fat. The brain nut also contains protein, fibre and minerals such as iron, calcium and potassium.

One infamous brain superfood is no other than tuna. In recent researches, studies find that fish is vital to the overall health of the brain. Several nutrients found in fish benefit the brain by improving memory, concentration, and performance, according to the article Brain Food: Helpful Hints for Powering Through Those College Finals. In fact, studies by the Rush Medical Centre say that people who eat fish even once a week decrease the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease by 60% than those who do not eat it routinely. Tuna makes the Top 10 not only because it is a certified brain enhancer. Its ready availability, versatility, and affordability nourish the modern man his or her quick-fix of protein munchies amidst the quick pace of life.

What about tuna may help better college finals results? Simple explanation...the brain is made up of fats that decrease as one ages. By essence, the fatty acids highly abundant in tuna aid the brain to patch itself up. Fatty acids, thus, are essential to the growth and development especially of young children, and for maintenance and improvement of brain functions in adults. Conversely, increasing Omega-3 (DHA), which is also high in tuna, will improve intellectual health by making brain membranes flexible, at the same time optimizing electrical signal processes, says the U.S. Tuna Foundation. These Omega-3s in tunas can provide students with a brain boost to power through college finals. It also helps reduce complications of arthritis, heart disease, and asthma on top of it.

The best part about tuna is, fresh or canned, it remains good for you. As such, it makes a perfect on-the-go meal, snack, beer-mate even, whatever your desire.

We have accordingly established fish as a part of an intellectually nutritious diet containing an abundance of Omega-3 and 8 amino acids, but the fish of champions has just arrived - wild salmon. Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3 which reduces inflammation in the brain and lowers bad cholesterol, among other things, to aid nerve cell regeneration and enhance brain function.

The Omega-3 fatty acids that are in salmon can also make anyone both happy and pretty by improving mood and skin and hair, respectively. Two important elements in the Omega-3 fatty acids of salmon: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is vital for brain maintenance and cell regeneration, and EPA (eicospentaenoic acid), for the heart’s proper function and circulation. DHA by now sounds droningly redundant, but it is this acid that helps improve memory and attention span, which, by and large, makes life a whole lot easier for all of us.

Sans the metaphor, it’s nice to not have your heart broken, but fixed instead. This is what salmon does...wild salmon that is. The wild salmon’s fish oil can literally foster cardiovascular health and prevent against certain types of heart diseases. More specifically, we ought to look for wild organic Alaskan line-caught salmon because of fat and toxicity issues. Plus, it has higher Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA content than its farm-raised doppelgangers.

Eat it fresh or grilled, or extracted fish oil form. Once a week, that’s all it takes to not worry about your brain or your heart. And it’s also good for joints and flexibility. Wow right? I know.

Oregano or wild marjoram...in some countries, these dried leaves are used mainly as a culinary ingredient in Italian, Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Portuguese, and Latin American cuisines, while other countries, as the Philippines, have long recognized the healing and health benefits of our pizza-pasta mate through herbal medicine studies. Research shows that a sprinkle and a tingle from the spice dispenser could seemingly be minimal but amongst the best health decision anyone can make thus far.

Besides giving dishes flavour and aroma, a USDA study suggests that gram-for-gram-oregano is the best source of antioxidants vs. turmeric, cinnamon, basil, thyme, sage and of other 22 culinary herbs, as well as 12 times more antioxidant activity than oranges, and 4 times greater than blueberries. Oregano contains rosmarinic acid, thymol, carvacrol, and flavonoids that credit its capacity to fight off inflammation, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, as well as free radicals.

In effect, oregano reduces the risk for heart diseases and cancer. On the other hand, in the brain department, oregano helps improve memory by defending the brain from inflammation, supplying oxygen to the brain, thus delaying the ageing of the brain. However, its antioxidant content depends on the elevation it is grown, concentrating more oxygen as it increases with altitude. Spice things up with this Casanova- could be the best decision of your life, literally.