Foods that Help and Harm Brain Health

For optimal brain function, strike these four types of foods from your diet:

1. Processed or pre-cooked foods. Processed foods tend to have more fat, sugar and preservatives than non-processed foods. In a study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found that these high-fat foods can negatively impact the hypothalamus — the portion of the brain that regulates hunger and thirst levels. Because of this, you could wind up eating and drinking more processed foods, resulting in an unhealthy pattern.
2. Foods high in trans-fat. A study released in the journal Neurology revealed that study participants who had diets high in trans-fats experienced more brain shrinkage (similar to those with Alzheimer’s disease) than those with healthier diets. Foods high in trans-fat include fried foods, baked goods and anything with partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients list.
3. High sugar foods. A diet high in sugar may give you memory problems or make it difficult to learn new things. A study in the Journal of Physiology found that mice who were fed fructose were slower to navigate a maze than mice on a no-sugar diet.
4. Fried foods. Fried foods are high in cholesterol. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a diet high in cholesterol may be linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that people who had high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol were more likely to have beta amyloid proteins in their brain, a warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal suggests a MIND diet for your brain. The MIND diet — whole grains, lean fish, chicken, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, berries, beans, leafy greens and wine — borrows from the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH). These targeted foods lowered participants’ risk for Alzheimer’s disease by up to 53 percent when included in regular meal plans. Join this brain movement by minding these foods:

• Go green by adding kale or spinach to your morning smoothie, or eat a healthy salad for lunch with roasted chicken, walnuts, chickpeas, cooked quinoa and sliced strawberries on top.
• Include the occasional fish fillet — baked salmon with squeezed lemon is a great choice.
• Toss in a snack of almonds or walnuts for a mid-afternoon energy boost.
• Add a glass of wine with your final meal of the day.

For additional brain power, try a blueberry smoothie. A study from Reading University revealed people experienced increased concentration and memory skills up to five hours after drinking one.

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