Add these foods into your diet to boost your brain with zen-like concentration…
As you mull over your tax returns your brain greedily chews through calories. But it’s a very picky eater so those croissants won’t help you find the extra deductions. By eating the right nutrients you’ll think quicker, get an elephantine memory and improve your concentration without having to bury your snout in books. Here are the best foods to help you flex your grey matter.
Bluberry hill
Don’t revere blueberries solely for their antioxidant levels. The boffs at Tufts University in the US found that snacking on these superfoods everyday slowed, even reversed, age-related brain decline, as well as improved short-term memory. Add one to two cups of blueberries to your diet each day or drink unsweetened blueberry juice.
Bean working all day
Scoff your way to genius by eating baked beans for brekkie. Research at the University of Ulster discovered that eating toast alone boosted scores on cognitive tests, but when the tests got tougher, toast and beans got the best scores. The beans are also rich in fibre and protein which gives your brain a long lasting energy supply.
Red devil
Roll out the pizzas because tomatoes harbour the powerful antioxidant, lycopene. In addition to fending off prostate cancer it boosts cognitive ability, according to research in the Journal of Gerontology. It’s also rich in vitamin C, which is used to make the neurotransmitters vital for securing you more answers in the pub quiz. Eat one a day – Bloody Marys don’t count.
Sharp shooter
Yoghurt’s rich in vitamin B12 – the mechanic of your nervous system which repairs any damage to your nerves. This vitamin also helps your brain absorb energy from food and a deficiency is linked to depression and poor memory. Lathering your breakfast cereal with two small cups will give you half of your RDA of B12.
Happy fatty
Chocolate gets a bad rep by running with a bad crowd, namely sugar and fats. But the cacao bean itself is a powerhouse of cognitive enhancement. It contains serotonin, tryptophan, anandamide and dopamine which all have a positive effect on your brain’s chemistry by promoting an overall sense of well-being and leave your thoughts sharper then a two-edged sword. Cram in a few blocks a day.