What are the best foods to eat for brain health?
Eating for brain health goes beyond adding a few extra nutrients to your routine here and there. Rather, it involves consuming whole foods with a high nutrient density. So says Dr Drew Ramsey, psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, founder of the Brain Food Clinic in NYC and the author of four books on nutritional psychiatry, most recently Eat To Beat Depression
And Anxiety (£22, Harperwave).
There are a number of categories that can aid this quest for a stronger mind, as well as relief from depression and anxiety symptoms. The items in these groups contain what you need to reduce inflammation and put your brain into ‘grow mode’. First, leafy greens, such as kale and seaweed, offer the most bang for your buck when it comes to nutrient density (nutrient-to-calorie ratio). Then there’s rainbow veg, such as peppers and avocados. ‘Flavonoids are responsible for the bright colours of these foods,’ says Dr Ramsey. ‘They all have powerful antioxidant and Dna-enhancing properties and can keep inflammatory molecules at bay – and, in the process, make sure your brain stays fighting fit.’
Next up: seafood, for its mindsharpening long-chain omega-3s – salmon, sardines, oysters, mussels and cod are also chock-full of B12, selenium and iron. Nuts, beans and seeds are top sources of plant-based protein and also rich in fibre, zinc and iron, notes Dr Ramsey. ‘Plus, a pick-me-up handful of nuts gives you a boost of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the brain “fertiliser”,’ he says. Carnivores should try grassfed beef for a remarkable source of iron, protein and vitamin B12, while you can find choline – a cousin to B vitamins that’s linked to lower rates of anxiety symptoms – in eggs. Truly good mood food.