How the food you eat affects your brain
We humans, as they say, did a number on themselves by inventing agriculture, global commerce routes, refrigeration, pasteurization, and so on. Yes, we made it possible for millions of people all over the world to have enough food. We've also manufactured food that is high in empty calories while being deficient in key nutrients. Fortunately, views regarding eating have shifted in areas where healthy options abound, and nutrition has become a top priority.
"As a culture, we are at ease with the concept that we feed our bodies," neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi explains. We investigate foods that induce inflammation and raise cancer risk, among other things. However, we are "far less aware," according to Mosconi, author of Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power, that we are also nourishing our brains. Food components will become part of the very fabric of our minds.... Simply put, everything in the brain that isn't produced by the brain is 'imported' from the food we eat."
Mia Nacamulli's animated TED-Ed lesson above teaches us a lot more about the elements of brain matter. "The brain is, of course, more than the sum of its dietary elements," says one researcher, "but each component does have a specific influence on functioning, development, mood, and energy." Diet can be linked to post-meal grogginess or sleeplessness.
What foods should we eat for brain health? Fortunately, recent evidence supports what dietitians and doctors have been recommending for overall health. The MIND diet, a blend of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, is recommended by Anne Linge, registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education expert at the Nutrition Clinic at the University of Washington Medical Center-Roosevelt.
"The Mediterranean diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, nuts, and heart-healthy oils," Linge explains. "The DASH diet's goal is to prevent high blood pressure, so we're looking at more fruits and vegetables, more fiber, and less saturated fat." According to Angela Cabotaje of the University of Washington Medicine blog Right as Rain, combining the two results in a diet rich in folate, carotenoids, vitamin E, flavonoids, and antioxidants. "All of these substances appear to have potential advantages to cognitive function," says Linge, who categorizes MIND foods into the ten categories listed below:
As you can see, red meat, dairy, sweets, and fried meals aren't on the list: experts urge we eat these less frequently. Harvard's Healthbeat blog delves more into several of these categories, including tea and coffee, which is a nice addition for those who prefer caffeinated beverages over alcoholic beverages.
"You might think of the MIND diet as a checklist of recommended practices," Linge explains. "You don't have to follow every recommendation, but what a fantastic thing if how you eat may prevent or delay cognitive deterioration." It certainly is. Read the 2015 research on the MIND diet here and another, 2010 study on the crucial relevance of "brain foods" here for a comprehensive summary of the impact of nutrition on the brain.
