Foods to boost your brain power

Smart eating can make you smarter, Rosie Schwartz say

While blueberries' reputation as a brain booster is well deserved, there are other foods that can help keep you smart

How often are you about to say something when it just slips your mind? Or as you look at a book, have you found yourself reading the same line over and over again as your mind wanders onto something else? There are a lot of reasons that your brain may be functioning at less than its peak performance at any one time- fatigue or a lack of sleep, dehydration, too much alcohol or even a lack of fuel. But keeping your brain sharp over time requires a little food for thought.

The brain- nutrition connection has been a hotbed of research over the past number of years as scientists have found that maintaining your smarts can be linked to what you put on your plate. While many nutritional supplements aimed at defending against cognitive decline in healthy people like gingko biloba or popular superfruit extracts may be brisk sellers, the benefits may only be reaped by those who pocket the proceeds. Much of the science behind these elixirs is lacking. On the food front, on the other hand, research on how to defend the brain against aging is yielding fruitful results. It's not only looking at brain power in terms of cognitive function like memory but also at issues like balance and coordination.

Here are five powerful protectors of brain functioning:

Blueberries 

The late James Joseph, Ph.D., a pioneer who conducted research at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Boston's Tufts University, spent almost four decades investigating how to preserve brain function. And much of his research over the past number of years focussed on blueberries and their effect on a variety of brain activities that occur at a very basic level - the neurons.

Neurons, the foundation of the body's nervous system, communicate with each other, as Joseph liked to say, like an old married couple. Sometimes, they don't communicate well with each other and send out inflammatory signals. This can lead to losses in short term memory as well as a loss of balance and coordination.

On the other hand, some neurons, particularly younger neurons, send out protective signals. Antioxidants, like those found in blueberries, promote this action. Joseph's research showed that blueberries enhanced the neuron's protective signalling while minimizing the inflammatory action.

In a study conducted by Joseph, published this spring, blueberries were found to do more than just defend against memory loss - subjects given daily doses of blueberries actually improved in a number of tests assessing memory skills such as word recall.

Blueberries are packed with colourful compounds or pigments called anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. As both wild and cultivated blueberries contain an assortment of these compounds, get your fill of both varieties. But don't just enjoy them during the summer. Go for fresh, in season, and frozen all year long.

Walnuts

These nuts have long been known for their heart health benefits: they are potent in their ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels and also promote healthy arteries. The walnut-brain connection, though, is a more recent area of research.

Walnuts are a source of essential fatty acids which appear to protect the brain against a number of degenerative changes which can accompany both normal aging or diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. They also contain both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, which, like blueberries, can improve neuron signalling.

  

Strawberries

There's no better time of year to savour these berries which also offer perks for brain health. Strawberries rank among the top providers of antioxidants compared to other fruits and vegetables. And like their bluer cousins, they also contain anthocyanins and provide their anti-inflammatory action.

Dark leafy greens 

Yes, we're back to the advice from your mother to eat your green vegetables. Besides protecting your arteries and vision and having anti-cancer action, these veggies can help you keep your smarts. Spinach, kale, beet greens or Swiss chard, whatever your choice - just be sure to keep them on your menu on a regular basis. Throw them into soup or salads or sauté them with some garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Even add a handful to your pasta dish as you toss the hot noodles with the sauce.

  

Salmon and other cold water fatty fish

Fish truly is brain food - right through the life cycle from pregnancy to old age. Research has shown that higher consumption of fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel is linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline. These fish are rich sources of omega-3 fats which may protect arteries by reducing the levels of triglycerides, a fat in the blood which can be deposited in arteries. And while you're not alone if you think of your heart at the mention of healthy arteries, they also play a key role in a cognitive function.

Posted in: Health