Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. Just like the heart, lungs or muscles need nutrients, so also does the brain. But which foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy?
1. Wholegrains
Like everything else in your body, the brain
cannot work without energy. The ability to
concentrate and focus comes from the
adequate, steady supply of energy - in
the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing wholegrains with a low-GI , which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day. Opt for 'brown' cereals, wheatbran, granary bread and brown pasta.
2. Oily Fish
Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.
3. Tomatoes
There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.
4. Pumpkin Seeds
Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.
5. Nuts
A study published in the American Journal
of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice.
Source: bbcgoodfood.com
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