Top 10 Foods that Actually Boost Your Brain Power!

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If someone told you in advance that just by adding a few ingredients to your daily diet that you could sharpen your thinking and prevent many of the memory problems that seem to come with advancing age, would you change your diet? Of course you would! Well now you have that chance. This is a list of the top 10 items you can add to your diet that will give nourishment to those neurons, reduce inflammation, and keep those memory pathways open.

1. Walnuts

Walnuts are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have some sort of protective effect on the brain. There was a recent study, however, which shows that older people whose blood contained high levels of these fatty acids had larger brain volume. Although many fish also contain omega 3, due to the mercury levels, you are advised to not eat great quantities of it.

Find out why not all omega-3 fats are equal. It’s easy to add a handful of walnuts to your daily diet, however!

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2. Chickpeas

It can be difficult nowadays to find a good source of magnesium and this is bad news because magnesium is important for your brain cell receptors.

Brain cell receptors are what speed thoughts/messages through your brain.

Have a meal that includes chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, for a great dose of thought provoking magnesium.

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3. Olive Oil

Trade in your vegetable oils for healthy olive oil and help preserve your brain’s overall health and function as you get older.

A study done in 2010 found that people who consumed a diet high in mono-saturated fats had improved verbal memories as well as cognitive functions.

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4. Avocados

Another food found to be high in mono-saturated fats!

Avocados can lower your blood pressure and provide much needed blood flow to your brain.

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5. Crab

You won’t see crab on too many power lists, but this is one place it belongs.

Crab contains an amino acid that your brain needs to make dopamine, an important neurotransmitter.

Tuna also contains this ingredient, but again, because of the mercury levels found in most fish, it’s much more advisable to consume crab.

One serving of crab contains 192 percent of your daily recommended requirement!

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6. Blueberries

Besides tasting great, researchers have found that blueberries can protect the brain from oxidative stress.

They also can reduce age related brain conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Add 1 cup daily to your diet for best results.

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7. Pomegranate Juice

Of course, you can eat all those hundreds of seeds fresh, but it’s much easier to drink a glass of juice.

Pomegranates are high in antioxidants which help protect the brain from free radicals.

It only takes about 2 ounces a day to keep your brain healthy.

However, find out “harmless” drinks you should avoid to stay healthy.

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8. Spinach

Maybe Popeye was right: we need to eat more spinach.

Harvard Medical School did a study that found women who ate more green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, over 25 years, had much fewer signs of mental decline than those who did not.