The Best Foods To Keep Your Brain Healthy
When food becomes part of a diet and lifestyle, it turns out that food that is good for the body is also good for the brain. Eating patterns to maintain brain health can be said to be the same as eating patterns that are considered to reduce the risk of other chronic diseases due to the impact of increasing age. Examples include heart disease and diabetes. This diet includes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein. There are also studies that suggest that exercise can improve memory, so regular exercise and a healthy and proper diet when combined can maintain brain health and function.
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| The Best Foods To Keep Your Brain Healthy |
With so many functions of the brain to support daily activities, it is not surprising that the brain can increase appetite to meet calorie needs. Of all the calories burned at rest, it is usually used as the main source of energy for the body's basic functions. A quarter is used to fuel brain function.
The brain's main energy is glucose, which comes from sugar circulating in the blood and is the end result of processed food sources of carbohydrates. In addition, the brain also needs other sources of energy from fat also in conditions that are really needed. However, glucose remains the main choice.
When the availability of glucose in the blood is in sufficient quantities, it is very supportive of brain function and performance. This condition can be used as a reason why sometimes we suddenly feel bored or always think about food throughout the activities undertaken. When sugar levels decrease, the ability to think clearly will also decrease.
So it can be said that the presence of carbohydrates is very important to support brain health and function. But we need to focus on one type of carbohydrate. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and natural sugars from dairy products are good carbohydrates for maintaining a healthy body and brain. Sweet foods like cakes are also a great source of carbohydrates, unfortunately sometimes they contain a lot of calories and fat and are low in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. So these sweet foods are not the right choice to support body and brain health.
Uniquely, about 70% of the brain's weight is fat. Brain cells and nerves are lined with fat, so the body needs healthy fats to keep these brain structures intact. This condition proves that certain fatty acids, especially omega 3 fatty acids, are needed to support brain health. One of these fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain. Because the body cannot produce DHA, it requires a supply of DHA which can come from fish and fish oil supplements. Both are the best sources of DHA. In addition to the healthy fats from fish and fish oil, nuts are also beneficial. Nuts contain healthy unsaturated fats and vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant.
Brain health also depends on protein consumption because it can supply amino acids, which are used by the body to form neurotransmitters, which are special types of chemicals that support brain cells to send and receive signals. So, meet your protein needs from plant foods such as soybeans, peas, and beans, as well as from seafood, chicken, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products.
Fruits and vegetables not only provide carbohydrates needed by the brain, but also contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that function to protect and maintain brain health. Fatty acids, such as B vitamins, are needed in sufficient quantities to support brain health and function. Usually B vitamins are found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Spinach also contains lutein, which is a type of antioxidant pigment that gives spinach its green color.
The important point in the diet presented this time is to emphasize the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats in large quantities. Another reason for this diet is that it is hoped that by applying it can help maintain brain health, can maintain weight, maintain blood pressure, and support cholesterol levels to remain within normal limits. This is very important because overweight and obesity in the middle age group is associated with an increased risk of dementia, a disease associated with blood pressure and cholesterol.
We can't turn back time, but by sticking to exercise and physical activity, there's a lot that can be done to ensure age-appropriate mental fitness. Eating nutritious foods balanced with exercise can help maintain health and make life longer. These habits can also help support your brain health.
Written by Susan Bowerman, Herbalife's Director of Nutrition Training. Susan is a registered Dietitian and Certified Sports Dietetics specialist.