Foods that
BRAIN
PROMOTE
HEALTH
Learn how your diet can impact brain health, and the foods that can boost memory, slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk of degenerative brain diseases.
What is Brain Health?
Brain function can be broken down into cognitive and emotional abilities. Cognitive relates to information processing, and emotional refers to how well we respond to and translate feelings. It can be impacted by injury, age and life events—and also by the foods we eat.
For example, monounsaturated fats in avocados and olive oil can lower the risk of cognitive decline, while diets high in saturated fats can increase the risk of neurological diseases. To help prolong the life of a fully functioning brain, eat foods that benefit it.
7.5
The number of years that brain aging (memory loss, or a decline in judgment and mental sharpness) can be slowed by eating brain-healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy choices.
Brain-Nourishing Foods
The nutrients in these foods can help the brain stay healthy.
Benefits: Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish such as salmon can help support healthy blood flow to the brain, which may assist in brain development and improving memory.
FATTY FISH
Benefits: High levels of flavonoids have been associated with improving the flow of oxygen and blood, which can lead to boosted concentration.
BERRIES
Benefits: A recent study connects the folate, phylloquinone and lutein found in leafy greens such as kale and spinach with slower cognitive decline.
LEAFY GREENS
Benefits: DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in nuts and nut flours, fights inflammation and helps protect cells against oxidative stress, which can be harmful to the brain.
NUTS
Benefits: Studies have shown that drinking one 5-oz. glass of wine per day may lower the risk of dementia by helping blood flow, which can help reduce the risk of blood clots.
WINE
Benefits: Vitamin E in barley, brown rice and buckwheat protects cells from damage, which may help delay or prevent age-related cognitive decline.
WHOLE GRAINS
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