We can’t control who our family is or who our friends marry, but dammit we sure can help the food we eat. And nothing gets the noggin functioning better than some smart brain foods like these.
Dark Chocolate
People will be happy to see dark chocolate being first on the list, but it’s earned its spot as a powerful superfood, aiding in brain condition with antioxidant properties but also one of the best foods for focusing. A small bit each day, much like a moderated amount of coffee, stimulates the brain into a higher functioning state through the production of endorphins to the brain. But too much will leave you in a sloppy, couch-riding position.
Berries
Blue-, açai, straw- – you name it – those anti-aging berries are good for you. Aside from hydrating the body and relieving your brain of certain oxidative stress, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries etc., have health properties known to reduce brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s. No matter how you enjoy them – fresh or frozen, smoothie or straight up – any amount of berries is good for you and your brain.
Whole Grains
You want to get wild early on here? Try on some fiber-rich, fresh whole grain, an unexpected superfood in the list of brain foods. Whether your grains come in the form of wheat breads, oatmeal or brown rice, you’re helping your mind get the proper blood flow by ingesting a small amount throughout the day. Although breads have a tendency to tire people, especially in the middle of the day, a little bit won’t slow you down too much, especially if you use its vitamins to remain active. Whole grains are also an anti-inflammatory that helps with heart disease prevention, so there’s that.
Avocados
Like berries – blueberries especially – avocados promote healthy blood flow, which promotes a healthy functioning brain. However, avocados’ benefits are vastly underrated compared to the tiny blue balls of fruit because of its fatty, oily appearance. But avocados are a caloric fruit, so less is required, but the added benefit of the anti-oxidant, vitamin C-rich avocado is its ability to lower blood pressure, which aids in reducing the risk of hypertension and, thus, a lower risk for strokes and promotion of a healthy working noggin.
Oily Fish (Wild S
almon)
You don’t have to catch the deep-sea fish yourself, but you can do yourself a favor having them a couple time a week. Big on Omega-3 fatty acids, oily fish – wild salmon in particular – help that big, beautiful brain function properly, much like meat and chicken. I suppose if you’re taking the time to catch fish yourself legally, you’re getting a good workout and reducing overfishing, so go for it.
Nuts & Seeds
Aside from a sexy case of light flatulence, nuts are packed with healthy fats and vitamin E – good for the heart and the head and help conserve your memory. Almonds are one of the healthier nuts to keep the head working properly and can appear in the form of butter, milk, and atop a great smoothie, too. In addition, pumpkin, sunflower and flaxseeds are also big on helping prevent the decline of our shrinking brains and the expected decay of our sanity through vitamin E and low-sodium diets. It’s as easy as choosing a good nut over a bad chip.
Broccoli
All dark greens – kale, spinach, broccoli – are vitamin E-packed foods that promote a healthy brain. But broccoli stands out, as it is hydrating, and also converts tryptophan into serotonin, a chemical that is brain-friendly and helps your memory and learning functions. Work some into your lunches so you’ll be quick as a whip in the workplace. Seems like sound advice, no?
Tomatoes
For boosting brain power, tomatoes are the unexpected underdog. The extremely oxidizing fruit not only helps hydrate the body and reduce the decline of cognitive skills of the brain, but tomatoes give a fresh perk to the brain’s working levels without the use of caffeine or unnatural sugars. Just don’t eat so many that you get canker sores all over your mouth and start a herpes scare in the office. If you’re going to do that, maybe just try a bite or two of dark chocolate instead.
Beans
The musical fruit that makes you toot is also an easily accessible source of constant glucose for any meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner. Lentils and black beans are especially noteworthy in stabilizing our blood sugar levels in order to keep a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Refried beans with your eggs, black beans in your tacos and lentil soup for dinner – however you like it, beans can find their way into your diet. And they help you poop regularly.
Red Wine
It ain’t food – well, perhaps dinner to some – but red wine is brain-friendly drink that helps reduce the effects and likelihood of Alzheimer’s, thanks to its fresh fruit antioxidants and moderate amount of alcohol. Red wine supposedly also promotes penile function. So, if your lady thinks you’re a brain dead waste of a scrotum, have a glass of wine during your week and watch her love for your brain blossom, as well as her love for your member. Just don’t drink so much that you can’t get it up.
