When it comes to what to eat to keep your thinker in tip-top shape, it’s actually a bit of a no-brainer (no pun intended). What’s good for the rest of your body is also good for your brain. Filling your plate with whole foods, more plants than animal foods, and lots of colorful produce goes a long way. In fact, overall dietary patterns that prioritizeplant-based foodsand contain less meat and processed foods are linked to both better brain function and reduced risk of brain-related diseases. Plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are full of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and (in some cases) healthy fats that support your brain throughout your lifespan.
While your overall diet matters most, there are some foods that can give your brain an extra boost—and a few that should be limited.
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The Best Foods for Brain Health
1. Beets
2. Pumpkin seeds
While other nuts and seeds tend to get all the love, humblepumpkin seedsare like little powerhouse plants for our brain. They’re packed with zinc (the best plant-based source of this mineral, with20 percent of the daily value per ounce), which plays an important role in brain health.Low levels of zinchave been linked to both neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and mental health conditions like schizophrenia. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of B-vitamins andmagnesium, which may play a role in cognition andmood.
3. Walnuts
While all nuts offer a variety of health benefits,walnuts—which coincidentally look a bit like a brain—are some of the best for your brain.Studieshave shown a connectionbetween regular walnut consumption(about half an ounce per day) and better brain health as we age—from improved mental performance to reduced cognitive decline. “What makes walnuts special is they contain one of the highest amounts of a potent antioxidant, called gamma tocopherol, and also have a high composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including alpha linoleic acid. Studies suggest that the high antioxidant content in walnuts may help counteract age-related cognitive decline and reduce the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease” says Cheryl Mussatto M.S., RD, LD, author ofThe Nourished Brain.
4. Eggs
“Eggs are one of the best food sources of choline—a nutrient that plays apositive role in better cognitive function. Along with choline, egg yolks also contain a carotenoid called lutein. Although lutein has long been associated with eye health, research has discovered lutein may play an important role in cognition as well,” says Lauren Manaker, M.S., RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT,Registered Dietitian and Women’s Health Expert.
Choline plays an important role in brain health andcognitive performancefrom as early asconceptionand continues throughout life, yet it’s estimated that up to90 percent of Americansdon’t consume enough choline. Most of the beneficial nutrients—including choline—are found in the egg yolk, so be sure to eat the whole egg!
5. Olive oil
An important component of both the Mediterranean diet,which has been linked to better brain health, and theMIND diet(a diet specifically designed to ward off Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia), olive oil is one of the best fats to keep your brain healthy.Researchhas linked olive oil consumption to the prevention of both acute and chronic neurological disorders including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and stroke. “It’s rich in monounsaturated fats, which can reduce inflammation and plaque buildup (including in the brain). Even more importantly it has a high antioxidant and phenol content that has been proposed to reduce oxidative stress in the brain—thought to be a major contributor to cognitive decline,” says Laura M. Ali, M.S., RDN, LDN,Culinary Nutritionist.
6. Fish
Another star of both the Mediterranean and MIND diets, fish is regularly found in the research to be linked toreduced risk of cognitive decline. While many experts attribute these benefits to theomega-3 fatty acidcontent of fatty fish like salmon, oneanalysis suggests thatthere are benefits to eating fish for reasons other than the fat content.
Similar to eggs, these benefits are seen across our entire lifespan. “Pregnant women who ate up to 12-ounces of seafood a week had children withimproved cognition, including higher IQ scores,” says Ali. Research has also shown that “healthy elderly people who eat just one meal of any type of seafood a week, as long as it is baked or broiled, had an increase in the volume of the area of the brain that is responsible for memory and cognition, which is important for reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” she adds.
When it comes to eating seafood, choose the varieties you enjoy the most and aim to eat 12-ounces per week.
Other superstar foods (and drinks) that may help your brain includeblueberries,leafy greens,beans and other legumesandcoffee(in moderation).
The Worst Foods for Brain Health
1. Red meat
That doesn’t mean you have to completely give up all red meat, but keep consumption to under 12-ounces per week and consider swapping red meat for fish, beans or tofu at some meals.
2. Sugar sweetened beverages
Need another reason to cut back on the sweet stuff? High-sugar diets have been linked toAlzheimer’s Disease,dementiaandlower cognitive scores. According to theDietary Guidelines for Americans, sugar sweetened beverages account for the largest portion (about 25 percent) of added sugar intake in Americans' diets.
It’s recommended that women limit their added sugar intake to less than 24g per day and men less than 36g per day. For context, one 12-ounce can of soda contains around 39g of sugar—more than the recommended limit for both men and women. Lemonades, sweetened iced teas, energy drinks, fruit juice drinks and any other sweetened drinks can add up quickly too.
So, skip the sugar and grab a flavored (but unsweetened) seltzer or infuse water with fresh fruit, citrus or herbs, for a refreshing, slightly sweet beverage without all the sugar.
3. Alcohol
Though you may feel like an alcoholic drink can improve your mood and help you relax, regular alcohol consumption is likely doing more harm than good. “Research shows that alcohol consumption can have a detrimental effect on brain health and memory function. This is especially true with chronic, over consumption of alcoholic beverages. Further, booze that’s high in sugar and sweetened additives tends to be more harmful long-term on memory and brain health,” says Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES,dietitian and diabetes educator.One studyshowed that even moderate alcohol consumption led to a decrease in grey matter, which may lead to cognitive decline.
That said, the research onred winespecifically is more mixed.Some studiesshow no benefit (but no harm either) in moderate (up to one 5-ounce glass per day) amounts of red wine, whereasothers suggest a potential benefitto raising the occasional glass.
But the research is clear: more than one drink per day isdetrimental to your brain(and no you can’t save up a week’s worth for the weekend).
4. Processed foods
Diets high in processed foods are linked to a slew of negative health outcomes, and the health of your brain is no exception. Several studies have linked Western diets, which tend to contain a lot of processed, fried and fast foods, tocognitive impairmentandworse memory and learning scores. On the flip side, both MIND and Mediterranean Diets, which contain few (if any) processed and fried foods are knownto be protective. In addition, greater consumption of processed foods have been linked toincreased risk of stroke.
The good news? The food industry has caught onto our desire for both convenience and health and there are plenty ofpackaged foodsavailable today that are less processed and contain nutrients to support your brain—you just have to seek them out!
Bottom line
What you eat plays an important role in the health of your brain, from memory and learning to risk of cognitive-related diseases. Fill your plate with brain-boosting foods and limit or avoid those that may wreak havoc. But most importantly focus on an overall diet full of more plants and less meat, added sugars, and processed foods.
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