When it comes to the human body, one of the most crucial components is the brain. Without our brains, there is not much we can do. One of the essential functions of the brain is memory and memory recall.
It’s how we remember the info we studied for an exam, how to cook a specific dish, and simple things like tying our shoes.
There are exercises to improve memory mind games, so to speak. An additional way to enhance memory is by eating the right foods.
So, let’s look at the best foods that improve memory and how they do this.
Foods That Improve Memory
Coffee
Coffee might not be a food per se, rather a beverage. Still, we will lump it in the same category because you do consume beverages.
When it comes to brain health and memory, one of the best things you can drink is coffee.
Coffee contains both caffeine and antioxidants, each having specific benefits for the brain. The antioxidants help decrease oxidative stress on the body, which can cause physical and mental decline.
Second, the caffeine contained in coffee has various benefits of its own. This includes keeping you alert and energetic, improving your mood, and increasing your ability to focus and concentrate.
Each of these benefits helps improve your memory in their own ways. There is also evidence that shows that coffee can help prevent Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Fatty Fish
In terms of the very best food to eat to improve memory, most would agree that fatty fish is the No. 1 choice. Sardines, salmon, trout, and other fatty fish are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids. This type of fatty acid is crucial for proper brain function.
Around 60% of your brain is made of fatty tissue. Of that 60%, half is the omega 3 variety. In other words, about 30% of your brain is made up of omega 3 fatty acids.
This is a substance that the brain needs to build brain and nerve cells, both essential for learning and memory.
Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s and age-related mental decline. A lack of these acids is related to impaired learning and learning disabilities.
It has also been shown that people who consume lots of fatty fish also have more grey matter in their brains. Grey matter contains the nerve cells responsible for memory and decision making.
Turmeric
Another food that can help improve your memory is turmeric, an essential ingredient in curry powder. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric. This is a substance shown to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain.
Moreover, turmeric has also been shown to improve overall memory and cognition, help ease depression, and support new brain cell growth.
Of course, the more brain cells you have, the better your cognitive abilities are. Finally, turmeric also helps slow down age-related mental decline.
Oranges and Citrus Fruits
Did you know that a single orange or grapefruit has enough vitamin C in it to last a whole day?
Vitamin C is essential to brain health and the brain’s ability to remember. This is why various popular and effective brain supplements, such as SynapseXT, contain high levels of vitamin C
Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that can help prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells.
This vitamin has also been shown to support brain health and prevent age-related mental decline. Therefore, whether oranges, lemons, grapefruits, or kiwis, to improve your memory and prevent cognitive decline, vitamin C is crucial.
Blueberries
Yet another food that can help improve memory is blueberries. As with many of the other foods we’re discussing, blueberries are rich in antioxidants.
Pound for pound, blueberries contain some of the most antioxidants of all foods out there.
As previously discussed, antioxidants are crucial for the brain as they limit and sometimes reverse free radical damage.
Blueberries also help prevent inflammation in the brain. Some studies have shown that blueberry consumption can increase communication between brain cells and help delay short-term memory loss.
Dark Chocolate
The next food that can help to improve overall memory is dark chocolate or cocoa specifically. The cocoa contains many compounds that help to improve memory.
These include caffeine, antioxidants, and flavonoids. As you can tell by now, antioxidants are a big part of this equation, which is why the brain supplement SynapseXT contains such a high concentration.
The most crucial component in chocolate for memory is the flavonoids. These are substances that concentrate in the area of the brain that allows for memory and learning.
Countless studies prove that flavonoids help improve short- and long-term memory, consolidate short-term memories into long-term ones, and decrease age-related mental decline.
It has also been shown that various cocoa compounds are mood boosters and comprise a link between mood and memory.
Green Tea
Green tea is also beneficial for the brain. It is also a component in the SynapseXT brain supplement, and for a good reason.
As with coffee, green tea contains caffeine, improving memory and overall cognitive function, as discussed in the coffee section.
However, the essential brain-boosting ingredient in green tea is L-theanine. This is an amino acid that crosses the blood-brain barrier and has various brain benefits.
L-theanine has been shown to increase the speed and functionality of the GABA neurotransmitters in the brain; it helps make these transmitters work faster and better.
Moreover, this substance also increases alpha wave frequency in the brain, allowing for increased relaxation and stress relief. Green tea is also rich in both polyphenols and antioxidants, helping slow down age-related mental decline.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are another food you should be eating for brain health. They contain plenty of antioxidants to protect the brain from free radical damage.
These seeds also include plenty of zinc, iron, magnesium, and copper, each having its own brain-related benefits.
Zinc is an essential element, and a lack of it is linked to various neurological and degenerative diseases.
Magnesium is also vital to memory and learning; lack of it is also associated with multiple neurological conditions. An iron deficiency is often associated with slower brain function. Finally, copper helps to control nerve signals.
Nuts
Finally, various nuts are another excellent food that will boost your memory. They are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamin E, all of which are essential for memory and healthy brain function in their own way.
Conclusion
As you can see, although we have not exhausted the list, there are plenty of foods and beverages that you can consume to improve your memory.
It’s all about getting enough antioxidants, vitamins, and essential minerals. Of course, you may also choose to take supplements containing these crucial ingredients.