Healthy Meals that Boost Brain Health

The Federal Government recently released new dietary recommendations for Americans. These guidelines include recommending less sugar, reducing saturated fat, and eating more fruits and vegetables. With all the different healthy eating ideas, what will actually boost your brainpower?

Fats:

Why you need them: Omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats like Olive oil are used in cell membranes to help cells stay healthy and active. Unsaturated fats help create cell membranes, and can be modified by your brain for whatever “brain power” you need that day. When cells membranes aren’t healthy, neurons can’t send messages as quickly or easily.

Bad fats, like saturated fats destroy brain cells. Bad fats replace the good fats in the cell membrane, but they don’t function the same way. Instead, they stiffen and shrivel the membranes making cells less effective.

How to eat them: Fatty acids are found in highest concentration in fish, nuts, olive oil.

Antioxidants rich foods:

Why you need them: As much as we need oxygen to survive, our brains can become damaged from oxygen via free radicals (oxygen becomes free radicals in our brain). Those free radicals will damage proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, DNA/RNA (the codes that tell your brain cells how to work). Antioxidants are the brains defenseman against free radicals. They attach and destroy free radicals.  Antioxidant foods can also increase Acetylcholine (ACh). Ach activates your brain and helps you get ready to learn, remember, and move by sending signals to the brain and muscles.

 How to eat them: Super foods like spinach, avocados, almost all fruits (grapes, berries, raisins, pears, apples with the peel, figs) and artichokes are the way to go here. Also, just one apple, a cup of apple juice, or cup of apple sauce a day can increase ACh and prevent damage by free radicles.

Sugar:

Why you need them: There are two types of sugars, simple and complex (i.e. carbohydrates). Simple is like candy sugar and complex are like breads/grains. You need complex carbohydrates to attach to the proteins in membranes to make them work properly and pull good nutrients into the cells. Glucose is also the main energy molecule for the brain. It’s the major ingredient used to make ATP, which is the key molecule to maintain communication, make neurotransmitters (the messengers), etc. for the brain to stay active. But, you need a low level of carbohydrates so you don’t over-activate the system. We use the Glycemic Index to measure the level of effect the food has on blood sugar.

Simple, high sugar foods like candy and – will raise your blood sugar quickly and hyper-activate your system. Complex carbohydrates with a low GI like beans, sweat potatoes, and fruits will keep your brain activated at a good level over a longer period of time.

 How to eat them: The lower the Glycemic Index, the less quickly you’ll raise the blood sugar level. You want to raise your blood sugar level gradually. Some sugar over time is good to activate cells, too much, too quickly is bad because it hyper -activates cells. So, stick to sweat potatoes, beans, and whole grains to maintain a steady, active, healthy brain!

Protein Rich Foods:

Why we need them: These foods actually modulate our mood and behavior. With protein rich, but low calorie foods like hard cheeses, milk, and turkey, our brains make neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers). Tyrosine and tryptophan found in these foods actually make dopamine and norepinephrine, key neurotransmitters in mood and behavior regulation. Similarly, Epinephrine, is created. The brain uses epinephrine to make quick reactions to events in our environment. Tryptophan is also used to make serotonin, which is responsible for mood regulation and happiness.

How to eat them: Low calorie, high protein foods are best. Hard cheeses, milk, turkey, walnuts, and tomatoes. Just try not to eat your protein with caffeine if you are trying to increase your serotonin. Some have suggested that caffeine will actually reduce your serotonin levels.

Bonus Foods - GABA Increasing Foods:

Why we need them: GABA is a neurotransmitter in the brain that increases focus, inhibition, heightens awareness and enhances relaxation.

How to eat them: Food such as bananas, green tea, complex carbs (brown rice), nuts, whole grain oats, and broccoli increase this chemical in our brain

Sample Meals:

So, how do you know what your brain diet should look like? Here are examples of some delicious meals that can also ensure optimal brain health in your kids.

Breakfast: Whole grain English muffin with peanut butter and banana – This will start my son off with an increase in focus and chill him out a bit. The carbohydrates and protein in the bread and peanut butter will also fuel his brain to learn for a longer period of time.

Lunch: Turkey and avocado with milk and a piece of chocolate for dessert. The turkey and milk will give him a boost in mood, while the avocado will boost his brain power for the afternoon. The small amount of sugar in the chocolate will give him a little burst of quick energy to use in his next class while also providing a little caffeine, which will clean out the brain cloud he got from the lunchroom!

Snack: Apples and light cheddar cheese with grapes.  Since this is the time of the cranky, tired pre-dinner lull, this snack is ideal. The hard, but light cheese will keep the calories down while adding energy producing and behavior regulating chemicals for the afternoon. The apples will keep the brain clear and efficient and contribute to overall brain health.

Dinner: Fish! My children love salmon and spinach, so that’s my choice here. The fish will provide the long-term boost to their cell membranes keeping their brains strong, efficient, and active. The spinach will keep his brain working through the dinner chores and bedtime instructions.

Dessert: For dessert, I’m going with a healthy banana oat cookie. This will relax my son before bed and get him in a good mood before bed. Now he can sleep peacefully and get ready for the morning. Cheers to another day of healthy brain functioning (with red wine for mom, of course – since red wine has also been shown to be high in antioxidants and prevent Alzheimer’s), We need all the help we can get!