Just as proper food-based nutrition helps fuel healthy muscles and bones, the brain relies on the right blend of vitamins, minerals, fats and other nutrients to function optimally. Many vegetables provide nutrients that are critical to brain health and cognitive development. Ask your doctor about incorporating vegetable-based "brain foods" or high-quality supplements into your diet.
How Food Affects Brain
The food you eat affects brain function by triggering hormones or peptides, such as insulin, as well as cellular and molecular processes that help the brain learn, retain information and remain adaptable. A hormone called insulin-like growth factor, for instance, sends signals to the hypothalamus and hippocampus regions of the brain involved in learning and memory. The brain's reaction to food might start even before you eat it by stimulating emotional states caused by your associations with certain foods.
Micronutrients for Brain Power
Many vegetables contain high levels of micronutrients and antioxidants to help synthesize essential chemicals in the brain. Researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service report that adequate B vitamin intake has been linked to positive effects on memory performance, and might reverse cognitive damage. Studies published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" indicate that vitamins D and A might be important. These micronutrients can be found in dark leafy greens, mushrooms, avocados, carrots, snap peas, string beans, olives and vegetable oils.
Plant-Based Omega-3's
The omega-3 essential fatty acids are perhaps the most thoroughly studied of the so-called brain foods, and might help reverse cognitive damage and improve mood disorders such as depression. Studies are even being conducted on omega-3 supplementation as a treatment for Alzheimer's. Although omega-3's such as DHA are most readily available in fish and fish oil supplements, and are less commonly found in vegetables, they can be found in plant form. Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are good sources of omega-3's, as are canola oil, walnut oil, butternuts and walnuts.
Fruits, Vegetables and Aging
The long-held view that the aging brain is not capable of regeneration --- in other words, that memory and cognition lost due to aging is lost forever --- is losing ground in the face of new ideas about brain plasticity. The Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging is exploring the way antioxidants found in plant compounds can protect against and perhaps repair cognitive degeneration. These researchers point to plant-based antioxidants' ability to increase brain cells' ability to absorb oxygen, helping them to communicate signals more effectively. Spinach, avocado and many berries are all good choices, but in studies, blueberries had the highest effect on neural regeneration in rats. However, if you are experiencing any type of cognitive impairment, please see a medical professional right away.
References
- "Nature"; "Brain Foods"; Fernando Gomez-Pinilla; 2008
- The Franklin Institute; "The Human Brain: Nourish"; 2004
- "Agricultural Research"; "Boosting Our Knowledge of Brain Food"; Rosalie Marion Bliss; 2007
- "Psychology Today"; "What Is Good Brain Food?"; Hara Estroff Marano; 2003
- Agricultural Research Service; "Nutrition and Brain Function: Food for the Aging Mind"; Rosalie Marion Bluss; 2007
