Health, diet, fitness, life

The brain is one of the body’s most important organs and it uses 20% of our total energy. During every stage of life, the brain is crucial for carrying out essential functions like breathing and muscle movement, as well as decision making, memory creation, emotion regulation, and so many others. That begs the question: What should we be eating to maximize the health of our brains? This is an especially important question as we get older and cognition begins to decline. Keep reading to find out 5 foods which can help fight this decline and can improve functions like memory, reaction time and decision making!

Salmon

Salmon is high in the omega-3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. In addition to being great for your cardiovascular health, getting enough omega-3 fatty acids can also help your cognitive health. Several studies have suggested that having higher levels of omega-3s in the blood can slow cognitive aging and reduce the risk of dementia.

Our Fit Meal Suggestion: Salmon & Smash – A large Salmon & Smash meal provides 6 oz of salmon which has 2 g of omega-3 fatty acids (which meets your recommended daily intake of omega-3s).

Blueberries

Blueberries are rich in a type of antioxidant called anthocyanins which give the berry its blue colour. Other blue and purple foods such as grapes, currants, and eggplant also contain this same compound. Anthocyanins are an important health promoting compound which has been shown to increase memory and cognition when eaten daily.

Our Fit Snack Suggestion: Greek Yogurt Berry Parfait – This parfait is packed with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, all high in anthocyanins to boost your brain health.

Kale

You may have heard that kale is a “super food”, and honestly, it’s true! Kale is high in the antioxidant beta-carotene (pre-cursor to vitamin A), vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and fibre. Kale is so high in vitamin K that a serving of 1 cup has more than you need for the whole day. Vitamin K has been shown to prevent both stroke and dementia, and may play a role in our memory and capacity for learning.

Our Fit Meal Suggestion: Hail the Kale Caesar Salad – This salad has 2 oz of kale which contains 333 % of your daily requirement for vitamin K, 188% for vitamin A, and 75% for vitamin C.

Eggs

Did you know eggs contain antioxidants? The antioxidant, lutein is found in egg yolks and is responsible for giving the yolk its bright yellow colour. Lutein is also great for brain health and has been shown to prevent a decline in cognition and memory in older adults. Eggs are also high in choline which plays a role in brain development. This makes it especially important for pregnant women to eat lots of eggs to support the growth of their infant’s brain.

Our Fit Meal Suggestion: Keto Turkey Omelette – This omelette is made with 3 whole eggs which provides 600 mcg of lutein and meets 75% of your daily choline requirement.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are very high in vitamin C, with just one pepper providing double the recommended daily value of vitamin C. High levels of vitamin C in the blood are associated with better cognitive performance in adults such as better reaction time, memory and recall. Bell peppers also contain several types of antioxidants which give them their bright colours. These antioxidants help to protect brain cells from oxidation and can protect against dementia.

Our Fit Meal Suggestion: Casbah Chicken – This delicious mediterranean meal comes with 50 g of red bell pepper which provides 100% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Conclusion

Brain health is determined by many factors, but eating foods high in compounds like antioxidants, omega-3s, vitamin C and vitamin K can go a long way to maintaining and improving your cognition. We hope you try some of our fit meals that contain these foods or maybe you can try adding them to your home prepped meals this week.

The good news is these foods are widely available and they won’t break the bank, unlike some more complex supplements. Did you know that regular exercise is also key for brain health? Combining brain boosting foods with a daily workout will have you thinking clearly and remembering more in no time.