BRAIN POWER!
Imagine eating a meal and it improves your brain power? That possibility isn’t actually that far off!
Whether it’s back to work (and trying to remember your logins for the work computer) or tackling the start of the new school term (and the impending homework)… it’s vital we look after our brain as well as our body with the food we eat to help us stay on tip top form!
The brain relies on a good flow of blood which provides nutrients to support its function. Due to this it is susceptible to damage as there are many nutrients that pass through it. Glucose (a type of sugar) is the brain’s number one fuel source but there a few other nutrients that also play important roles.
The Mediterranean diet has been linked to improved heart health, but it has also been linked to cognitive function, memory and alertness. The Mediterranean diet is high in fruit and vegetables, fish, legumes and plant-based oils. It’s thought that the nutrients found in these types of foods support brain health.
Studies have looked into nutrients that are important in brain development, what happens to our brain when we are deficient in nutrients and how we can improve our function. Let’s see what they found.
Omega -3 Fatty Acids
Omega -3’s are a type of fat that are found in chai seeds, oily fish, ground linseed, hemp seeds or walnuts. These fats play an important part in the structure of the brain and how it functions. Deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with an increased risk of dementia, depression, bipolar and schizophrenia. Research has shown that supplementing with omega 3 provides a modest improvement in performance in people who may be mildly cognitively impaired, however, other factors such as micronutrient supplementation may have also contributed to this change.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are components of food that can protect the body against cell damage, which can maintain the brain’s function. These components are found within foods that have this function and include; polyphenols, procyanidin, prodelphinidin, curcumin and vitamin E. Vitamin E deficiency has been associated with poor memory performance. Antioxidants are found in berries, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and dark coloured fruits and are thought to contribute to learning and memory.
B Vitamins and Folate
There is very limited research into this area. Low intakes of folate in the diet has been associated with physiological abnormalities during development and childhood, depression and cognitive impairment.
When reviewing the nutritional status of people with cognitive impairment it was found they had insufficient levels of B vitamins (Vitamin B6, B12, folate thiamine and riboflavin), however, this is only an association. A trail on consuming a folic acid supplement for 3 years has been associated with a reduction in the decline of age-related cognitive function. Due to other environmental factors in the study not being controlled it was been concluded that supplementation was only beneficial if your intake was low in the first instance.
Your Diet
So how does this fit in with your day to day diet? Dietary manipulations could enhance cognitive functions, protect the brain from damage and promote repair. The research is still emerging as with any science, however, it is likely to be beneficial to increase your intake of omega -3’s, B vitamins and antioxidants if they are low. Over consumption of nutrients hasn’t been shown to have a direct impact upon cognitive function.
Changing your diet isn’t the only thing that is associated with brain function. Exercise and sleep also have an impact on the brain as it is thought that memory and learning is enhanced when there are positive changes to dietary intake, exercise and also sleep.
By choosing meals and snacks that contain foods such as nuts, colourful berries, wholegrains and different types of fruit and vegetables makes it more likely that you will meet your recommended levels of nutrients that are associated with brain function. Make your food as colourful as you can; different coloured fruit and vegetables will offer different antioxidants and nutrients. By focussing on your overall diet instead of specific nutrients you will be able to make a difference to your intake and overall health.
References
Cooper, J.K., 2014. Nutrition and the brain: what advice should we give?. Neurobiology of aging, 35, pp.S79-S83.
Gómez-Pinilla, F., 2008. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nature reviews neuroscience, 9(7), pp.568-578.
Spencer, S.J., Korosi, A., Layé, S., Shukitt-Hale, B. and Barrientos, R.M., 2017. Food for thought: how nutrition impacts cognition and emotion. npj Science of Food, 1(1), pp.1-8.
Titova, O.E., Ax, E., Brooks, S.J., Sjögren, P., Cederholm, T., Kilander, L., Kullberg, J., Larsson, E.M.,
Johansson, L., Åhlström, H. and Lind, L., 2013. Mediterranean diet habits in older individuals: associations with cognitive functioning and brain volumes. Experimental gerontology, 48(12), pp.1443-1448.