Eat the right foods and you could be Einstein!
Our brains use up around a fifth of our body’s oxygen sources, but are you eating the right foods to keep it in peak condition? Give your diet a mental makeover by eating more of these foods.
DHA
An omega-3 fatty acid, DHA helps send messages between cells, so if your diet is deficient then your brain may not be working at an optimal level. It’s also important for pregnant women as a deficiency can affect the IQ of the unborn child and has been linked to postnatal depression.
Eat more oily fish (fresh tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel, trout and sardines), offal and liver, DHA-fortified foods.
Caffeine
A cup of coffee improves alertness, makes you perform and concentrate better, and gives you quicker mental recall – although this has got to be weighed against the negatives of increased blood pressure.
Herbal boosters
Ginseng offers a consistently positive effect on memory, and the same is true for sage – which also seems to help mood – and ginkgo. Take in supplement form.
High-quality carbs
The best carbohydrate sources are wholegrains, pulses, vegetables and fruit. These low GI foods are digested more slowly, while simple refined sugars can cause blood glucose spikes and poor concentration.
High-quality proteins
Lean meats are good because their amino acids replenish brain tissue and neurotransmitters – which could help with problem-solving and reasoning. They’re also rich in the chemical dopamine, known to increase alertness.
Eat foods with vitamins A, C, E and zinc
Boost your dietary antioxidants by eating lots of fruit, vegetables and foods containing vitamins A, C and E to slow ageing of the body and brain. Zinc is thought to improve brain power, so get your fill of nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, dark meats and oysters.
Eat curry
Turmeric, which is used to spice and colour curries, is a rich source of the antioxidant curcumin. It is known to protect against oxidation of the brain, which can cause degenerative brain conditions.
Drink water
Just two per cent dehydration – which isn’t enough to stimulate thirst – can affect your concentration by up to 30 per cent. Make sure you drink the recommended two litres of water a day, at least.