Hello Steemians! Today I want to share with you the list of my favourite brainfoods, which many of them I eat everyday. Like our physical bodies needs nutritions our gray matter needs them as well.
But what is actually good for our brain? Foods rich in good fats, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants will increase your brain power and thus your efficiency. I’m sure that everyone will find something for themselves on the list.
Enjoy!
1. Oily Fishes
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You can find the most valuable omega-3 fatty acids inside salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. These fats are very important not only for the brain but also to your heart, joints and whole immune system. Eating oily fishes may increase grey matter in your brain and protect it from deterioration. They are also so far the best dietary source of vitamin D, which so many people lack. In oily fishes you can also find plenty of vitamin B3, B5, B6, and B12. Last but not least fishes are great source of high value protein.
2. Avocados
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Contains tons of monosaturated fats (the good ones). They’re rich in vitamins K, C and E as well as B5 and B6. Avocado contains high portion of folate, potassium and fiber. They have the most proteins and the least sugars of all fruits which helps to maintain good blood sugar level. Avocados are really great to eat with other fruits and vegetables because their fats helps with vitamin absorption.
3. Wholegrains
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Choose wholegrains with low-GI, so that the glucose level will not look like a cryptocurrencies charts but just being slowly released to the blood. That’ll keep you mentally steady without sudden energy drops throughout the day. Best wholegrains are:
- Whole Wheat
- Whole Oats
- Whole Rye
- Brown Rice
- Buckwheat
- Quinoa
- Bulgur
- Couscous
4. Blueberries
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Definitely one of the highest antioxidant contents food in the world . Also have got pretty much of vitamins C and K, manganese as well as some fiber. Blueberries has many scientifically-proven benefits for the brain. They help to improve brain function and even delay brain ageing. Blueberries also show anti-diabetic effects which helps to lower blood sugar levels. You can also find some gallic acid in blueberries which is very powerful antifungal/antiviral for you organism.
5. Broccoli
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Full of vitamins K and C and choline which is very beneficial for you memory. Broccoli also contains plenty of vitamin A, folate and potassium. It helps to improve your bone structure and take care of your cholesterol and eye health. Broccoli is very low in calories and is decent source of fiber which makes it good for those who wants to lose some weight.
6. Virgin Coconut Oil
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Some says there’s no disease on the earth you cannot cure with coconut oil. Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon lauric acid which may exterminate many harmful microorganisms. Fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketones, which increases energy level for the brain cells. It may surprise you but coconut oil help burn fat and makes you less hungry. It is also very good for your skin and hair - some even uses it as a natural deodorant. You can find endless list of benefits eg. here: http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
7. Dark Chocolate
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White and milk chocolate has low percentage of cocoa and contains a lot of sugar. Dark chocolate with at least 70 % of cocoa instead can be very beneficial. Dark chocolate is filled with iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. While cocoa improves blood flow to the brain it can be a very good snack while you doing some intense mental work.
8. Eggs
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Eggs are really good for metabolic health. They decrease blood pressure and improve vascular function. They’ll also help you to affect cholesterol and inflammation levels in positive ways. Eating Egg yolks increases memory and cognitive function. Egg whites are good as well! they are mostly protein and contain more riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and sodium than the yolks. Best served as soft-boiled eggs so that most of the vitamins and minerals will preserve. Honestly it’s easier to point out what you can’t find in eggs rather than point out every mineral and vitamine they include. They contain all of group B vitamins as well as A, E, D and K. Eggs are also highly filled with phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium and selenium.
9. Walnuts
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They help to reduce “bad cholesterol”, while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol. Walnuts also help to reduce inflammation and improves working of whole cardiovascular system. Many studies suggests that eating walnuts helps our brains work better (they even look like a brain’s surface). Walnuts are brilliant source of many necessary vitamins and minerals. These include copper, folic acid, phosphorus, vitamin B6, manganese and vitamin E.
10.Chia seeds
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Often called seed of life because it has so many beneficial effects. It helps to lose weight due to high protein and fiber level. It contains a lot of antioxidants and helps to prevent heart diseases as well as improves your bone structure due to high level of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They also contains bunch of omega-3 Fatty acids.
And additional one - Turmeric
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This ancient spice was known from it’s healing properties for centuries. It was used because of its painkilling, carminative, anti-flatulent and anti-microbial properties. Turmeric doesn’t contain any cholesterol it helps to control “bad” cholesterol in the blood. It also contains a solid portion of antioxidants. Just a few grams of turmeric per day can provide enough nutrients to help you keep away from anemia, neuritis, memory disorders and offer protection against cancers, infectious diseases, high blood pressure, and strokes. Turmeric contains a lot of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), potassium, iron and manganese as well as some vitamin C and E.
I’m absolutely sure you already eat some of this on the daily routine and it will not be a problem to incorporate even more of those brainfoods to improve your overall health. I quit buying junk food long time ago. Instead I always take a small box full of nuts and dark chocolate with me. I eat eggs for every breakfast - if you get bored with soft-boiled eggs try to make some scrambled eggs, omelette or paste. In fact you can find tons of good recipes for every food I mentioned here. I bet you’ll be very satisfied with the results when you put more of those into your regular diet :)
Better food, better health, better life.
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Sources:
http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower
https://draxe.com/15-brain-foods-to-boost-focus-and-memory/
https://bebrainfit.com/best-brain-food-snacks/
https://bebrainfit.com/brain-foods/