Food For Thought
Your brain is a fuel-guzzling engine, and to keep it from misfiring, you need to eat the same foods that keep your heart healthy. These include lean protein, good fats, whole grains, and plenty of antioxidant-rich and inflammation-fighting vegetables and fruits, says Dr P Murali Doraiswamy, a neuroscientist with the Duke Institute of Brain Sciences and a Men’s Health brain-health adviser. What follows is the perfect day of eating for your brain.
Breakfast + Snacks
Have eggs and steel cut oats for breakfast. Eggs contain choline, an essential nutrient that helps brain function. Steel cut oats are high in fibre, which helps regulate blood sugar. As for snacking, try a handful of blueberries and eight almonds. Blueberries are high in epicatechin, which has been shown to promote bloodflow, improve mood, and hone focus. The almonds provide protein and fibre.
Lunch + Snacks
For lunch, have 175g of wild Alaskan salmon with three-bean salad. The salmon is laden with omega-3 fatty acids, which appear to promote brain health whilst the beans will keep your blood sugar off the roller coaster. Your snack should be 50g of dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa) as it is rich in flavanols, antioxidants that may improve cognitive function, and it contains a little caffeine, which may help concentration.
Dinner + Snacks
Dinner time, you’d want to have a five-vegetable curry stir-fry with brown rice. Toss aubergine, onions, brocolli, and yellow and red peppers in a wok to unlock the maximum variety of antioxidants. Sprinkle on turmeric for anti-inflammatory protection. If you are still hungry, have a handful of cherries and some plain Greek yoghurt as snack. Cherries are a good source of melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone and Greek yoghurt is packed with protein and tryptophan, an amino acid that relaxes your nervous system.
Words by Ben Court. Image from Stockexchange
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