August 25, 2008

Brain food

What you eat may affect how you think. Here are some excellent brain foods.

Omega-3 fatty acids

They're found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna and in flaxseed oil, walnuts and canola oil. Or you can take three grams of fish oil a day. Look for brands with toxins removed. Recently, researchers found that pregnant women who ate at least 12 ounces of seafood a week containing omega-3s had children with significantly higher IQ scores, a lower risk of behavioral problems, and fewer difficulties with fine motor skills, communication and social development. (If you're pregnant and worried about mercury, the FDA says to eat no more than 12 ounces of fish a week.)

Blueberries

Certain fruits and vegetables may slow and even reverse age-related declines in brain function and motor performance. Blueberries appear to be especially healthy. They're rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids that seem to offer brain benefits.

Green tea

In addition to its other healthy properties, green tea may help improve memory and prevent some age-related memory loss.

Chocolate

Here's everybody's favorite (in moderation, of course). Some dark chocolate is rich in flavonols, substances that dilate your arteries. A study found that flavonol-rich cocoa improved blood flow, which may help prevent age-related dementia.

1 comment:

sya said...

wow thanks susan!