Food For Thought, Healthy Eating Makes Mind Function Well

Good Food is convinced that healthy eating makes mind function well. Right food enhances its ability to store, retain & recall information. Nonetheless, memory is too complicated a process that requires a great variety of nutrients.



Healthy eating makes mind function well. Right food enhances its ability to store, retain & recall information. Nonetheless, memory is too complicated a process that requires a great variety of nutrients.

Since brain activity puts special emphasis on a healthy nervous system and healthy blood flow, all steps you take to improve these functions end up contributing to better memory.

Then upgrade the overall fat quality in your meal plan. You'll want to focus on plant foods like walnuts, flaxseeds and oils like extra virgin olive oil, because the types of fat contained in these foods help keep your blood vessels and nerve wrappings in the pink. Avoid hydrogenated oils that contain trans fatty acids, fried foods & large amounts of beef/chicken fat or other high-fat, processed foods.

Consume plenty of antioxidant nutrients like vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, colorful plant flavonoid and carotenoid pigments, and minerals like zinc and manganese. Vegetables and fruits that are richly colored are usually the best, such as mustard greens, kale, broccoli, papaya, sweet potato, winter squash, red/blue berries, eggplant, purple cabbage, cherries, tomatoes & peppers.

B-complex vitamins are another particularly important category of nutrient when it comes to brain function and memory. Many of the nervous system messengers that send signals back and forth between our nerves cannot be synthesized without the presence of B vitamins. Vitamins B6, folate and choline would be especially important here, even though all of the B-complex vitamins would play a supportive role.

Choline is readily available from common foods like liver, egg yolk, soybeans, and (to a lesser extent) cow's milk, most fish and whole grains. Lecithin is another beneficial form of choline found in both eggs and soybeans. Serine and carnitine are amino acids that can be obtained from animal foods.

Wild (not farm raised) Salmon improves brain matter, mood, arteries, reduce risk of stroke, dementia & alzheimer’s etc. It is one of the best sources of essential fatty acids such as Omega-3, a rich source of high quality non-land animal protein, low saturated fat, generally among the lowest amounts of contaminants (such as mercury) among seafood & other health properties.

Cacao bean is beneficial to brain health, skin elasticity, & cardiovascular health etc. Use 100% organic non-alkalized cocoa powder from a high-quality maker who minimally processes the cocoa to ensure that the health properties are retained. Choose only high cacao percentage dark chocolate bars (typically at least 75% cacao content or higher).

When you take stone-ground Japanese green tea, you're consuming the leaf itself, whole, in powdered form mixed with hot water. The powder is rich in chlorophyl and when mixed with water it becomes a rich, bitter-sweet, green concoction containing antioxidant, catechins, vitamins such as A & C, even fluoride, and the meditatively calming yet focusing effects of L-Theanine.

Coffee beans beverage packs a host of brain & health-friendly properties to boot! Like the cacao bean, it is incredibly rich with antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Fresh-ground gently roasted coffee bean powder has numerous brain and body health benefits, including the caffeine content is good for the brain, particularly in the area of antioxidants. Regular coffee consumption has been shown to actually reduce the risk of mental decline provided it is not combined with other unhealthy things such as artificial cream & sweeteners.

The foods cited here are beneficial when consumed consistently in moderation.

For school going children:

As a new school year just started, Good Food lists a number of foods to help kids with their overall concentration.

• Food containing memory enhancing proteins include eggs, meats and nuts. Eggs are vital for creation

  of memory stem cells & meats are high in iron & zinc, 2 minerals proven to aid cognitive function

  & memory.

• Nuts help with energy metabolism and protein absorption.

• Whole grains or pasta help children focus by giving the brain extra energy.

• Drinking water before and after school maintains energy levels. Fruits such as oranges, strawberries, 

  watermelon and grapes are water replacement options (besides they contain vitamins A, B and C.)

Parents should bear in mind that proper nutrition at every meal aids in memory, attention and energy levels. It is important for students to eat well so blood sugar doesn’t dip & focus is maintained during school day.