Best Foods to Eat for a Healthy Brain

W e cannot stress enough the importance of healthy food consumption so that the brain and body stay fit. Here are the best foods for a healthy brain.

Whether healthy eating really makes you smarter is a matter of great controversy among scientists. Frequently mentioned, single foods and "superfoods" such as chia seeds, ginseng, or blueberries are unlikely to bring you any closer to the Nobel Prize. Rather, brain food is more of a food for the nerves; it keeps them healthy and functioning well. These foods have been proven throughout history to be good for the human mind in regards to critical thinking and fitness.

But the fact is that our brain is particularly dependent on water, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Only then does it work optimally. A lack of energy suppliers and important building blocks leads to the fact that the brainpower turns out to be lower than it could actually be.

Therefore, allow us to present the most important nutritional factors with which you can optimally supply your brain:

1. Drink, drink, drink

First and foremost is sufficient drinking throughout the day. It should be around one and a half to two liters of water, tea, coffee, and spritzer. A lack of fluids manifests itself in headaches, tiredness, and poor concentration. When there is a lack of water, oxygen and nutrients are verifiably transported more slowly through the body and into the brain.

This is particularly evident in older people, who feel less thirsty than young people. A so-called drinking diary or a drinking counter, which shows how many glasses of water have already been drunk, is helpful here.

2. Take healthy fats

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, are important for brain function. In almonds and nuts, but also high-quality oils such as rapeseed and linseed oil, the important omega-3 fatty acids are present, which the body cannot produce itself. Another great source for Vitamin B and good minerals would be Seeds and Nuts such as brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews nuts. These are filled with magnesium which helps eliminate stress. 

3. Complex carbohydrates instead of faster sugars

Chocolate and sweets provide a short-term sugar boost, but they quickly drop the blood sugar level back into the cellar. It can give you a boost but it's short-lived and eventually turns into tiredness and lack of concentration. However, the brain needs a constant supply of its most important energy supplier, glucose. Whole grain bread, legumes, and potatoes, for example, contain complex carbohydrates that are slowly broken down by the body into their smallest components and finally into sugar.

Fruits and vegetables can also have a positive effect on intellectual performance. Bananas are particularly popular in exam situations or in stressful moments. In addition to carbohydrates, they contain a lot of magnesium and the amino acid tryptophan, which is required for "happiness hormones". We also recommend dried fruits, which can be used as a tasty snack in between meals together with a mixture of nuts.

4. Sufficient protein

It doesn't always have to be meat and sausage that supply the body with protein. Not more than two to a maximum of three times a week anyway. Low-fat dairy products such as yogurt, fresh milk, or quark are recommended. Legumes such as lentils, beans, and peas are also excellent sources of protein.

They ensure that the body has a sufficient number of amino acids available, which, as building blocks of the body's own proteins, take on important tasks everywhere in the body. Also in the brain - as a supporting substance, but also as a component of messenger substances that are involved in the transmission of nerve signals.

Vegans who completely avoid food of animal origin may have problems with their protein supply. You have to choose your food very carefully and combine certain foods with each other. Despite all the care taken in choosing food, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) urgently recommends that you take vitamin B12 as a dietary supplement. A deficiency in this vitamin not only leads to anemia but can also lead to serious damage with psychological problems such as poor memory, symptoms of fatigue, attention deficit, and depressive mood. 

So there you have it! These are the best foods to eat for a healthy brain and can help you in many ways to incorporate them into your diet today!