What you eat has an equal reaction on your mind, body, and soul. However, at a time when everyone is constantly running to make things happen for themselves, without much care for their health, things get ugly.
There are so many times when we don’t eat our breakfast because we were running late, or forget to have lunch because of the work and at times, don’t even cook dinner because we’re tired. In times like these, we resort to much more readily available options which is, junk food. We instantly dial up the nearest restaurant and get anything to beat that hunger.
Now, while our stomach is full, our mind and body are not. A balanced diet is not only necessary for healthy stomach, but also for a healthy mind. Somewhere while running fast because of deadlines, we have forgotten the need of healthy food and because we’re constantly surrounded by various things, our memory is getting adversely affected by it. A majority of people these days can’t focus on things immediately or for a long time. And, they’re not even working on improving it, because most of them don’t know how to actually do it.
So, we thought of compiling a list of 8 brain foods that have the power to boost your memory as well as, help you in focusing on things.
1. Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the major and most delicious sources of flavonoids that have been found to enhance the neuron connections in one’s brain. Along with this, blueberries also stimulate the regeneration of neurons which in return improves your memory.
2. Salmon
All those who just love seafood would be happy to know that Salmon is one of the most nutritious brain foods, along with being delicious. Packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, Salmon keeps your brain running smoothly and with a lot more focusing power.
3. Turmeric
When your mother was forcibly making you drink that haldi-doodh that you absolutely hated, she was doing something amazing. Turmeric has a ton of health benefits and one of those is being an excellent brain food. Turmeric has an active ingredient, known as, Curcumin which has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. What this means is that it can directly enter the brain and the benefits the cells in there.
4. Broccoli
Another food that you hated as a kid, Broccoli is an amazing brain food. It’s power packed with various powerful plant compounds and include a lot of antioxidants. It’s also a great source of Vitamin K which delivers more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) in one cup.
5. Dark Chocolate
Yes, a dessert in here, somewhere and even though it’s not your traditional dessert, it sure is an amazing brain food. Dark chocolate has already proved to be amazing in various senses and it’s also great in the brain department. Dark chocolate is full of flavonols and it has some really good anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Pumpkin Seeds
In case you haven’t yet come across the amazing pumpkin seeds and the wonderful benefits that it possesses, then please wake up. Pumpkin seeds contain some really powerful antioxidants that protect the body and the brain from free radical damage. Just 20 grams of pumpkin seeds contain your recommended daily intake (RDI) of magnesium.
7. Coffee
As per a research carried out at the John Hopkins University, Coffee is actually beneficial for both long-term and short-term memory. Drinking a maximum of one or two cups of coffee a day can “reduce forgetting over 24 hours”. Believe it or not, but the researchers even don’t know as to why and how it can happen, but it does happen.
8. Whole Grains
In order to remember and focus on things, we need to have an adequate amount of energy to keep us going, and for energy, we need whole grains. The slow acting glucose present in whole grains provides a steady source of energy to your brain, throughout the day.
In case, you can’t remember the items on this list, then you’re in a definite need of these brain foods in your diet.
Jyotsna Amla