The Right ‘Brain Foods’

Have you ever been talking to someone and describing a book, a movie, something that was on television and during your description of some part of the plot, you find yourself lacking the right word to describe what exactly it is you want to get across to the listener.

The word is…You just cannot think of it. It eludes you no matter how hard you try to think of it or concentrate to get the word to pop into your mind. You even find that now you are having a hard time recalling a synonym.

Why does this happen? It could happen for any number of reasons…lack of sleep? Stress? Or could it be you brain’s diet? Researchers know that our cognitive brain function is affected by our diet. They have shown that memory retention and cognitive function is affected by the foods we eat.

So what foods are the right ‘brain foods?”

Leafy vegetables

Really, any dark, leafy vegetables contain high levels of folate and vitamin B12 which shows signs of being able to protect the brain against dementia.

Turkey

This bird contains tyrosine which has been shown to help the brain maintain level of dopamine, an important part of our nervous system nuero-transmitting systems.

Eggs

Eggs are rich in choline which is a mineral believed to improve memory function. Students taking choline 1 hour before testing did better as a group than those who did not.

Fish

Cold-water fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to its protective qualities, omega-3 fatty acids also show promise in decreasing the symptoms of depression.

Beef

Eating beef provides high levels of protein that have been shown in testing to increase memory testing scores.

Coffee

Consuming caffeine equivalent to a 1-cup serving of coffee improved attention spans and problem-solving skills.