When you think about food or eating healthy, you most likely think about its impact on your body, but eating good food is just as important to your mental wellbeing as your physical wellbeing.
Scientists now believe that there is a close link between diet and cognitive function, or a person’s ability to process thought, memories, learn new information, their speech and literary comprehension. Caffeine for instance is well known to stimulate the brain.
A lot of research has been done on the affects of food or nutrients on brain functions and the results have been astounding. One such nutrient is Iodine which is required for the production of the thyroid hormone necessary for normal brain development. In fact Iodine deficiency is recognised as the world’s most prevalent preventable cause of intellectual disability.
The fact is that the brain is a very active, and is a very big consumer of the energy supplied by food. In the case of young children for instance, that is as much as 87%. As you get older, the cortical organisation is more stable and so the glucose utilization by the brain drops to about 25% which is still significant. This is why children require a proper supply of this nutrient (Iodine) early in their lives, in order to fuel the rapid development and growth of their brains.
Iodine deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to babies being born with Cretinism, one of the most serious conditions resulting from Iodine deficiency. It also causes severe cognitive impairment or retardation.
A study in New Zealand of mildly Iodine deficient students between 10-13 years, found that Iodine supplementation significantly improved their cognitive test scores, and general learning abilities. Iron deficiency has been found to have a similar effect, especially on memory and attention. Iodine rich foods include seaweed, cod, potatoes, milk, shrimp, navy beans, and eggs.
Taking vitamins have also been found to be equally good for the brain as for the rest of the body. Vitamin B12, (eggs, cheese, beef, lamb, shell fish, milk) Vitamin C (chilli peppers, guavas, bell peppers, thyme, parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, papaya, oranges) and Vitamin E (sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, apricots, olive, spinach) especially, because of their antioxidant content which helps prevent and even reverse cognitive impairment or deficit.
Folic acid is also important to cognitive ability and early brain development. It is one of the major building blocks for a normal functioning brain and as such is an important nutrient for pregnant women.
Studies have shown that consuming high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids also helps improve cognitive ability. The reverse has been found to be true of cholesterol.
Carbohydrate rich foods are also good brain food, but appear to be better for certain cognitive functions such as short term memory and mathematical learning etc. suggesting that a diet of complex carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index will help keep you sharper for longer, by slowly releasing the glucose required to fuel the brain.
Fish rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids (salmon, herring, sardines) are good brain food. So are berries, nuts and seeds (Vitamin E) like walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seed. Oatmeal, grain bread and brown rice, beans and avocados are also good because of their role in reducing hypertension risk and improving blood circulation which is also good for the brain and cognitive function.
The bottom line is that a diet of the right mix of foods supplying the right mix of vitamins and minerals is still key to maintaining good physical health as well as good mental health. So don’t just eat smart but eat to be smarter.
Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com . If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email us at mail@edgepersonalfitness.com
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