What is the best diet and healthiest foods to take care of our brain and nourish neurons? We discover the diet you must follow to achieve it naturally.
Did you know that the foods we usually consume throughout our lives contribute to proper brain function? The brain needs to consume up to 20% of the glucose that our body requires daily, in order to perform its functions well, so we can say that the brain in order to function well needs to be well nourished.
A good healthy diet not only influences good physical health, it is also necessary for good brain health. There are many investigations that confirm this, and more recently the studies show it.
The foods we eat also have to do with our having a good memory and even influence our ability to concentrate, helping us to perform better.
That is why we must avoid processed foods since they reduce the IQ, especially in childhood, altering the functioning of neurons and the connections they establish with each other.
The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish, they provide health to our brain, and if the food is fresh and prepared at home, it will be free of additives, preservatives or flavorings with which we will undoubtedly gain health and protect our brain from suffering from the aforementioned diseases.
The Mediterranean diet favors the correct functioning of the brain as well as its health and, in addition to the aforementioned foods, we must also include foods that are rich in folates, minerals that promote the transmission of nerve impulses, that help transport oxygen to the nerve cells as well as maintaining the connections between neurons in good condition, foods rich in B vitamins, foods rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids, foods rich in protein from fish, meat and eggs, and finally foods rich in vegetable proteins .
All these benefits and properties can be found in the nutrients that we provide below:
The minerals that help us take care of our brain in terms of health and proper functioning are:
- Calcium: it is a mineral that should not be lacking since it is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses.
- Iron: it is the mineral in charge of carrying oxygen to nerve cells.
- Zinc: it is the mineral that contributes to maintaining the connections between neurons in good condition.
The best foods for our brain
In addition to certain minerals, there are also other foods rich in essential nutrients that are especially useful for caring for, protecting and nourishing our brain. They are, for example, foods rich in folates, among which stand out: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, asparagus, spinach, chickpeas, beans.
The foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids: help us prevent dementia, foods such as oily fish, shellfish, nuts, almonds, cabbage, spinach, strawberries, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, egg yolk, vegetable oils such as flax, walnut, wheat germ, flax seeds, chia.
The foods rich in vitamins of group B: promote mental agility, favors our good mood and prevent us from suffering from states of anxiety or depression, we also help to confront and combat stress.
The B group vitamins can be found in nuts, brewer’s yeast, legumes, sprouts, seeds, eggs, red meat, white meat, fish, milk and products derived from it such as cheese and yogurt, some fruits such as the banana, avocado, apple, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, grapes, and in some vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes and garlic.
In addition to providing a good healthy and balanced diet to our brain, it is also important to be well hydrated, eat five meals a day in which the portions should be small, with this we will make sure to provide the brain with the glucose it needs to be well nourished and perform their functions optimally.
