Brain Food

The brain food project

Brain Foods2021-03-01T12:11:05+00:00

FOODIE JOURNAL

BRAIN FOODS

NUTS

Walnuts and almonds are rich in a variety of some nutrients to support brain health, including vitamin E, omega-3 fats, copper, manganese and fiber for in-testinal bacteria that support the brain. Like fatty fish, almonds have high levels of brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and a lot of vitamin E. It protects the brain. (Sanchez-Aguadero N1,2, Garcia-Ortiz L3,4, Pati-no-Alonso MC5,6, Mora-Simon S6,7, Gomez-Mar-cos MA3,8, Alonso-Dominguez R3, Sanchez-Salga-do B3, Recio-Rodriguez JI3 2016), (Chung YC1, Park CH, Kwon HK, Park YM, Kim YS)

BANANAS

This yellow fruit contains two of the most essential minerals for our body, magnesium, and potassium. They are abundant in bananas and they help you focus and learn better.  A banana also contains another very beneficial mineral called tryptophan which will boost your mood, lower your levels of anxiety and depression, and improve your quality of sleep. Let´s talk about a few fun facts about bananas. Bananas are technically berries. They are the best for making smoothies because 75% of the fruit is composed of water. It´s recommended to eat this fruit before doing exercise since it will help your muscles and nerves function. Even the peel of the banana can be useful! If you scrub the inside of the peel against a mosquito bite or anything that is very itchy, it will reduce the pain. The fiber of the banana can be used to make fabric, mats, handbags, wallets and even paper!!! 

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil. Is rich in polyphenols, which arepowerful protective antioxidants in the brain (Rodriguez-Casado A1. 2016). The recommend-ed daily amount depends on the age of the child. Usually we talk about 30% of the total calories in the diet, approximately, but most people are not familiar with this calculation. Therefore, the simplest would be to recommend about 20 or 30 grams of olive oil daily or between 2 and 3tablespoons, spread throughout the day.

GARLIC

What comes to your mind when you hear Garlic? Maybe garlic powder, or garlic oil; garlic is most often used as a flavoring ingredient. Did you know that garlic is more than just a seasoning and has a lot of benefits? For example, a topic that I am sure you’ve heard of recently is Covid-19; garlic can actually fight against coronavirus by improving our immune systems, which is the system in our body that defends us against the virus. Garlic has proven to be a powerful remedy to protect us against many diseases, as well as an effective replacement for antibiotics.  

In addition, it can also improve brain functions because it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that fight against brain-related diseases, such as Alzheimer and dementia. Alzheimer is a type of dementia that includes memory-loss and affects the ability to think and to carry out daily activities. 

Moreover, garlic also has other positive impacts on your body: it can help to improve cardiovascular health and prevent different forms of heart disease. As you can see, garlic is not only a brainfood but also a superfood. Garlic can also be eaten in many different ways. On our YouTube channel and blog, you can find a simple garlic recipe to check out.

RED BELL PEPPER

Red bell pepper isn’t a common food, so you might be as surprised as I was when I found out it was a brain food, and a good one at that.

These crunchy vegetables contain vitamin A, which is good for your bones, muscles, and skin. They are also an excellent source of vitamin B6, which is an essential nutrient for brain development and function. 

Red bell peppers are known for their bright red colour, but not all of them are like this. There are three other colour variations besides the red bell pepper; there can also be green, orange or yellow.  

Do you know the order in which they change coloursThey first appear green. This variant is unripe and more bitter in tase; in turn, it is less harvested, which is the reason why it is relatively inexpensive 

The next colour is yellow, followed by orange and then red. Unlike the green one, these peppers are ripe. They taste sweeter and therefore cost more money. 

These peppers can be bought in two different ways: either canned and pre-cleaned, or you can buy the actual pepper and do the process yourself. I encourage you to buy actual peppers as they are healthier and not too difficult to clean. Although canned peppers are not bad, they are processed which means they have more added sugars. 

An interesting fact is that food can also affect your mood, brighter colours make food look more appetizing, just like this one. 

STRAWBERRIES

Blueberries, Strawberry. Colourful berries such as blueberries, cherries, blackcurrants, raspber- ries, blueberries, blackberries, currants and even grapes, seem to reduce the level of toxins in the blood stream, in addition to containing phytonutri- ents and antioxidants that improve blood flow to the brain and improve neuronal activity too. Powerful with brain protective antioxidants, blueberries also help reduce inflammation, a cornerstone of virtual- ly all degenerative brain disorders (Kelly E1, Vyas P2 2017). Some supplements (strawberry, spinach or cranberry at 14.8, 9.1 or 18.6 g of dry aqueous extract per kilogram of diet, respectively) fed for 8 weeks to 19-month Fischer 344 rats were also effective in reversing age-related deficits in several Neural and behavioural parameters (Joseph JA1, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA, Bielinski D, Martin A, McEwen JJ 1999)

DARK CHOCOLATE

Like red wine, dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols These enter the brain and induce a general stimu-lation of cerebral perfusion. They also cause angio-genesis, neurogenesis and changes in the morphol-ogy of neurons, mainly regions involved in learning and memory. Chocolate also induces some positive effects on mood and it is often consumed under emotional stress.(Nehlig 2013) (Camandola S1, Plick N1, Mattson MP2 n.d.).

RAISINS

Raisins are a very common ingredient that are used in bread, desserts and hundreds of recipes. However, they do more than just sweeten your palate with their flavor: raisins also provide benefits for your brain and body. Raisins are considered a brainfood because they contain boron, a fundamental nutrient for a healthy functioning brain, memory, and attention-span. But not only that, this brainfood/superfood can also help your bones, your teeth and can also play an important role in your muscles. The reason for this is because it contains calcium and protein. Now, you might be asking… What about all the sugar that raisins contain? Isn’t that bad for your body? Okay, first of all, like all foods, you have to be careful with the amount you consume. Raisins do contain a large amount of sugar, but if you eat them with other brainfoods, like nuts or avocados, which also contain protein and healthy fats that balance your blood-sugar levels, you get a healthier snack. This prevents the sugar levels in raisins from being harmful for you. However, you have to be careful when buying raisins because some brands add extra sugar to make them taste sweeter.                                                       

Do you know how raisins get their color? Well, raisins’ color can actually vary depending on their drying process; there are dark purplish raisins, medium brown raisins, golden to bright yellow raisins, and green raisins. All these colors are produced from different drying processes, ranging from sun-dried to mechanically dehydrated.                                                              

Remember that you can watch a review and find a recipe for raisins on our channel, and a lot of other interesting content. 

ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is rich in prebiotic fiber to help healthy in-testinal bacteria for the brain. Asparagus has a high content of anti-inflammatory nutrients and folic acid. (Lei L1, 2, Chen Y2, 3, Ou L4, Xu Y5 2017) (Sui Z1, Qi C, Huang Y, Ma S, Wang X, Le G 2017) (Salemme A1, Togna AR2, Mastrofrancesco A3, Cammisotto V2 , Ottaviani M3, Bianco A4 2016).

SALMÓN

Wild salmon/ Salmon oil is one of the foods that can provide more properties and benefits to the body, as it is rich in Omega 3 essential oils, they have prov- en effective in reducing cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood, as well as stimulate its circulation, pre- venting the appearance of clots and thrombi. It also has DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) that is essential for the correct development of the brain and eye- sight (Nyaradi, 2014). An excellent natural source of DHA omega-3 oil. DHA plays a fundamental role.

BERRIES

Blueberries, Strawberry. Colourful berries such as blueberries, cherries, blackcurrants, raspber-ries, blueberries, blackberries, currants and even grapes, seem to reduce the level of toxins in the blood stream, in addition to containing phytonutri-ents and antioxidants that improve blood flow to the brain and improve neuronal activity too. Powerful with brain protective antioxidants, blueberries also help reduce inflammation, a cornerstone of virtual-ly all degenerative brain disorders (Kelly E1, Vyas P2 2017). Some supplements (strawberry, spinach or cranberry at 14.8, 9.1 or 18.6 g of dry aqueous extract per kilogram of diet, respectively) fed for 8 weeks to 19-month Fischer 344 rats were also effective in reversing age-related deficits in several Neural and behavioural parameters (Joseph JA1, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA, Bielinski D, Martin A, McEwen JJ 1999

AVOCADO

High in monounsaturated fats to protect the brain cells, avocado oil has been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. (Omar Ortiz-Avila, 1 Mauricio Esquivel-Martínez, 2 Berenice Eridani Olmos-Oriz ba, 2 Alfredo Saave-dra-Molina, 1 Alain R. Rodriguez-Orozco, 3 2015).

BEETROOT

Individual doses of daily nitrates, which can be found in beetroot, can modulate blood flow to a task and potentially increases cognitive performance and suggests a possible mechanism in which the con-sumption of vegetables can benefit the effects on brain function, however in other works this nitrate supplement It increases the performance of long-term exercise although it does not improve cognitive performance after fatigue. (Thompson C1, Vanhatalo A1, Jell H1, Fulford J2, Cart-er J3, Nyman L3, Bailey SJ1 2016) (Thompson C1, Wylie L J, Fulford J, Kelly J, Black MI, McDonagh ST, Jeukendrup AE, Vanhatalo A 2015) ( Kennedy DO5. 2015).

BROCCOLI

Broccoli has a high content of sulfurofano, a chemical that helps in detoxification, inflammation reduction and control of harmful free radicals. A long-term study by the Harvard Medical School revealed that broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brus-sels sprouts, and bok choy, had the most positive effect on memory retention, which means they are the most likely to help you to achieve better grades. Eating these raw vegetables is the best way to get the optimal nutritional benefit, since cooking often cooks the nutrients that your body and your brain need most.(Leila Khalaj, 1, * Sara Chavoshi Nejad, 2 Marzieh Mohammadi, 2 Sadaf Sarraf Zadeh, 2 Marieh Hossein Pour, 2 Ghorbangol Ashabi, 2 Fariba Khodagholi, 2 and Abolhassan Ahmadiani 2 2013) (Rodriguez-Casado A1. 2016).

CELERY

The results showed that both doses of 30 mg / kg • d L-NBP and 10 mg / kg • d L-NBP of L-NBP (Apium graveolens Linn seed extract, Chinese celery) signif-icantly increased memory capacity and BDNF / TrkB / PI3K / AKT hippocampal expression in mice. The suggested results that treatment with L-NBP may re-verse memory impairment in APP / PS1 transgenic mice, and BDNF / TrkB / PI3K / AKT, may be involved in this process. (Xiang J1, Pan J2, Chen F1, Zheng L1, Chen Y1, Zhang S1 2014)

CITRUS JUICE

Consuming citrus juice rich in flavanone in common-ly consumed amounts can sharply improve blood flow to the brain in healthy young adults. Chronic daily consumption of 100% flavanone-rich orange juice for 8 weeks is beneficial for cognitive function in healthy older adults. (Lamport DJ1, Pal D1, Macready AL2, Barbosa-Bou-cas S1, Fletcher JM3, Williams CM1, Spencer JP2 2016) (Kean RJ1, Lamport DJ1, Dodd GF1, Freeman JE1, Wil-liams CM1, Ellis JA1, Butler LT1 2015) (Alharbi MH1, Lamport DJ2, Dodd GF3, Saunders C4, Harkness L4, Butler LT3 2016).

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oils improves the ability of brain neurons to use energy while at the same time it is reducing the production of harmful free radicals. It provides saturated fat, a vital nutrient for the integrity and functioning of brain cell membranes. (Swee Keong Yeap, 1 Boon Kee Beh, 2 Norlaily Mohd Ali, 3 Hamidah Mohd Yusof, 3 Wan Yong Ho, 4 Soo Peng Koh, 5 Noorjahan Banu Alitheen 2015.

EGGS

Eggs are rich in choline, the chemical precursor of acetylcho-line, one of the most fundamental neurotransmitters. In addi-tion, eggs contain cholesterol, an important component of brain cell membranes, in addition to serving as a protective antioxidant in the brain. It seems that egg doses may be greater than the three per week that was recommended so far. (Leventakou V1, Roumeliotaki T1, Sarri K1, Koutra K1, Kampouri M1, Kyriklaki A1, Vassilaki M1, Kogevinas M2 2016) (4 2016)

JICAMA

One of the best sources of prebiotic fiber. Jicama, also known as Mexican yam, is rich in vitamin B6, folic acid and vitamin E. The present study has illustrated, for the first time, the acute inhibitory effects of bean root juice and guava juice on ex platelet aggrega-tion live induced by collagen in healthy subjects. It has been shown that nitrate in the diet underlies the effect of bean root juice, but not that of guava juice. After ingestion of bean root juice, systemic nitrate apparently becomes nitrite and then NO, which can attenuate platelet responses to collagen stimulation. The cardiovascular benefits of juices from yam root and guava are notable in terms of the cardiovascular health promotion approach (Thaptimthong T1, Kasemsuk T1, Sibmooh N1 n.d.).

KALE

Kale is high in zinc. Zinc supplementation and zinc-rich foods is effective in improving cognitive perfor-mance and the salt recognition threshold of adoles-cent girls. (Tupe RP1 2009). All our data indicates the beneficial effects of supplementation with vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty tacids over two generations on brain development and function. (Rathod RS1, Khaire AA1, Kale AA1 2015). This review describes some recent literature on the health benefits of se-lected fruits and vegetables. Importantly, since some phytochemicals, they regulate the same genes and drug-directed pathways, diets rich in fruits as well as vegetables in combination with medical therapies are being considered as new treatment approaches. Therefore, phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables could be a promising tool for the prevention and / or improvement of a wide range of diseases. (Rodriguez-Casado A1. 2016). A large low carb vege-table that is rich in vitamins C, K and A, in addition to potassium and iron.

LENTILS, BEANS AND PEAS

Legumes, like certain seafood, such as mussels or cockles, guts such as liver or red meat (the latter with once a week is enough) are rich in iron. Iron, as not-ed above, is good for the brain because it helps us improve attention, memory and cognitive perfor-mance, as it improves communications. Although long-chain PUFA Fe and n-3 (AGPICL n-3) have been associated with cognitive performance, the evidence is inconclusive in well-nourished school-age chil-dren. (Sørensen LB1, Damsgaard CT1, Dalskov SM1, Petersen RA1, Egelund N2, Dyssegaard CB2, Stark KD3, Andersen R4, Tetens I4, Astrup A1, Michaelsen KF1 2015) (Rabin BM1, Poulose SM2, Carrihill-Knoll KL1, Ramirez F2 Bielinski DF2, Heroux N1 2015).

MEAT AND FISH

Creatine is found inside of meat and fish and the ap-plication of creatine in health and disease studies has recently been prompted with encouraging results in studies of sleep deprivation and cognitive perfor-mance. Dietary creatine monohydrate supplemen-tation increases neuronal creatine, increases cortico-motor excitability and prevents decreased attention that occurs during severe oxygen deficiency. (Turner CE1, Byblow WD2 2015), (Twycross-Lewis et al. 2016).

PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds a are rich source of zinc, a mineral that plays an important role in memory and brain function in general.(Black 1998) (Ramirez-Zea 2009)

SPINACH

Spinach is rich in protective antioxidants of the brain along with vitamin K, folate, lutein. Spinach, like other vegetables, has a high nitrate content, which improves endothelial function, reduces blood pressure and also oxygen cost of sub-max mal exercise and increases regional perfusion in the brain. (Wightman EL1 2015).(Bondonno CP1, Downey LA, Croft KD, Scholey A, Stough C, Yang X, Considine MJ, Ward NC, Puddey IB, Swinny E, Mubarak A 2014) (Joseph JA1, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA, Bielinski D, Martin A, McEwen JJ 1999) (Rodriguez-Casado A1. 2016) (Schiffer et al. 2013).

TOMATO

Tomatoes are very popular; more specifically, 170m tones are grown all over the world every year, so you can almost always find them at a grocery store. Furthermore, there are approximately 20,000 types of tomatoes with a wide variety of shapes and colors.  

The tomato is a brainfood because it contains an antioxidant called lycopene which prevents cell damage in your brain and body. It does so because an antioxidant is a kind of shield that protects you from free radicals which cause cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes among others. 

In addition, they are incredibly good for many parts of your body. For example, it’s good for your immune system because it prevents you from getting lung cancerIt also benefits your heart by preventing heart disease and lowering blood pressure levels.  

It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are two powerful antioxidants which give it its red color. That being said, these antioxidants are mostly known for protecting your eyes from the light that digital devices produce. 

Moreover, it’s good for your our skin as they protect against the dangers of the sun from within the body. Lastly, the tomato is good for your teeth as it prevents gum disease 

However, it’s even more delicious if you combine it with olive oil and cheese. 

TURMERIC

Turmeric acts to activate the parts of our DNA that help reduce inflammation. The important role of turmeric in brain health has been described in Ve-dic texts dating back more than 3,000 years ago The present study demonstrates the possible involve-ment of apoptotic signalling (morphological pattern that occurs after the death of a tissue in living organ-isms) mediated by oxidative cascade -inflammatory in cognitive deficits associated with postnatal ethanol exposure and points to theneuroprotective potential of curcumin to mitigate alcohol-induced behav-ioural, biochemical and molecular deficits (Tiwari V1 2012). (Sun CY1, Qi SS, Zhou P, Cui HR, Chen SX, Dai KY 2013) (Rinwa P1 2012) (Ng TP1, Chiam PC, Lee T, Chua HC, Lim L 2006).

WHOLE GRAINS

Whole grains have many benefits like every other brain food, in this case they can: 

– Maintain and replace our body tissue. 

– Reduce risks of heart risks. 

– Reduce some forms of cancer, one type of diabetes and obesity.

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