Did you know that food can affect the brain in minutes? Getting your daily dose of omega 3’s, fruits and veggies will keep a steady source of energy flowing in your body and keep you going throughout the day. Don’t consume foods and drinks that have a lot of sugar. All this will do is cause a spike in your blood sugar and result in you feeling grumpy and tired. Instead make a blueberry smoothie or choose a healthy bowl of cereal for breakfast and add blueberries. Blueberries are well known for their role in improving motor skills and helping your overall learning capacity and are often called the best berry for your brain. Most berries are full of antioxidants that are great for boosting the brain. You can help reverse the effects of aging on the brain by eating these blueberries once a day. Berries have fisetin and flavonoid in them, which are great for improving your memory.
Green and black tea are also beneficial for your brain because it is full of catechins. Catechins are great for keeping your mind sharp, fresh, and functioning properly. Not only do they keep your brain working right, they also allow it to relax and help to fight against mental fatigue. While green tea is much more potent than black tea, both are extremely good for you. Tea is very good to drink early in the morning before you head off to school. Try a cup to keep you feeling alert.
Salmon is also an excellent food choice to include in your diet, because it has Omega-3 fatty acids that helps the brain with memory and is a strong contender in fighting against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. And it just doesn’t stop at fish only, but eggs are awesome brain foods too. According to the Livestrong website, eggs contain choline which is a very important building block of brain cells and helpful in improving your memory.
Snack foods such as nuts and seeds are also good brain foods. Nuts such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, are good for your brain. Nuts and seeds are also full of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, folate, vitamin E, and vitamin B6. These nutrients allow you to think more clearly. They have a natural antidepressant in them and are great for cognitive function, brain nourishment and memory.
Green vegetables such as cabbage, kale, spinach are also great for your brain. These vegetables help greatly when it comes time to remember old information.These foods have vitamin B6, B12, and folate, which are great compounds needed within the brain to break down homocysteine levels, which can lead to forgetfulness. These vegetables are high in iron content. If there is not enough iron intake, brain cognitive activity will slow down greatly.
Now that you are eating these foods, there shouldn’t be any problem in getting all A’s on your exams. Below are a few recipes to help you concentrate and pass all of your finals.
Berry Booster Smoothie
- 1/2 cup of strawberries
- 1/2 cup of raspberries
- 1/2 cup of boysenberries
- 1 cup of lowfat plain or raspberry yogurt
- 1/2 cup of lowfat or fat-free milk
- 2 cups of ice
Sassy Salmon Burger
- 14 3/4 oz. of canned salmon, drained
- 1 cup of toasted wheat germ
- 1/3 cup of sliced green onions
- 3 egg whites
- 4 tbsp. of water
- 2 tbsp. of fat-free mayonnaise
- 1/2 tbsp. of salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 tbsp. of hot pepper sauce, as desired
- 1 tbsp. of canola or vegetable oil
- 5 whole-wheat hamburger buns
- 1 medium size ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 1 cup of spinach leaves, rinsed, well-drained