BrainDiet: What to eat during your preparation

BrainDiet: What to eat during your preparation

Visit our new website https://jrfpsychology.com/

As a society, we are comfortable with the idea that we feed our bodies, and much less aware that we’re feeding our brains too. Everything in the brain that isn’t made by the brain itself is ‘imported’ from the food we eat. Below is a list of foods that have been scientifically proven to improve cognitive health.

Join us on WhatsApp by clicking on this link 

General Dietary Plan for a Better Mental and Cognitive Health 

In 2005, the Harvard Nurses Study reported that high consumption of particularly cruciferous and green leafy vegetables were related to less cognitive decline. But it took until 2010 before dozens of plant foods were tested—all the way down to rutabagas. They found nearly all plant foods associated with better cognitive performance.

And perhaps the most interesting finding: different foods seemed to boost different areas of the brain. For example, total vegetable consumption had the strongest positive associations with executive function, perceptual speed, global cognition, and semantic, or fact-based memory, whereas total fruit intake was more consistently associated with visuospatial skills and autobiographical memory.

Blueberries: Evidence accumulated at Tufts University in the United States suggests that the consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short-term memory loss. Pure blueberries should be consumed and not flavored. Walnuts have been proven to be very healthy for brain and helpful in providing the omega oils it needs.

In Harvard berry study, where the subjects were given berry smoothie with blueberries, black currants, elderberries, lingonberries, strawberries, and…a tomato. Not only did their bad cholesterol drop about 10 points, they “performed better” on short-term memory tests. So, good for heart, good for the brain.

“Consumers of cruciferous vegetables, (cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts) [have been found to perform] better in several cognitive tests than non-users.” And, in terms of cognitive decline with aging, “women consuming the most green leafy vegetables” did better—effectively slowing brain aging a year or two, and not just cruciferous, but other dark green leafies like spinach. 

List of Foods to Avoid 

Ghee ( Should be avoided at all costs (Citation) ),  Eggs ( Citation ),  Meat ( Citation )


For more on evidence based diet kindly go through the following book

"How Not To Die" by Dr. Micheal Greger 


Source Cited

Hughes TF, Andel R, Small BJ, Borenstein AR, Mortimer JA, Wolk A, Johansson B, Fratiglioni L, Pedersen NL, Gatz M. Midlife Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Risk of Dementia in Later Life in Swedish Twins. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010 May;18(5):413-20.

Dai Q, Borenstein AR, Wu Y, Jackson JC, Larson EB. Fruit and Vegetable Juices and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Kame Project. Am J Med. 2006 Sep;119(9):751-9.

Kang JH, Ascherio A, Grodstein F. Fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive decline in aging women. Ann Neurol. 2005 May;57(5):713-20.

Nurk E, Refsum H, Drevon CA, Tell GS, Nygaard HA, Engedal K, Smith AD. Cognitive performance among the elderly in relation to the intake of plant foods. The Hordaland Health Study. Br J Nutr. 2010 Oct;104(8):1190-201.

Nilsson A, Salo I, Plaza M, Björck I. Effects of a mixed berry beverage on cognitive functions and cardiometabolic risk markers; A randomized cross-over study in healthy older adults. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(11):e0188173.

Pribis P, Shukitt-hale B. Cognition: the new frontier for nuts and berries. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100 Suppl 1:347S-52S.

Pribis P, Bailey RN, Russell AA, et al. Effects of walnut consumption on cognitive performance in young adults. Br J Nutr. 2012;107(9):1393-401.

Lamport DJ, Lawton CL, Merat N, et al. Concord grape juice, cognitive function, and driving performance: a 12-wk, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial in mothers of preteen children. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):775-83.

Miller MG, Thangthaeng N, Poulose SM, Shukitt-hale B. Role of fruits, nuts, and vegetables in maintaining cognitive health. Exp Gerontol. 2017;94:24-28.

Nurk E, Refsum H, Drevon CA, et al. Cognitive performance among the elderly in relation to the intake of plant foods. The Hordaland Health Study. Br J Nutr. 2010;104(8):1190-201.

Kang JH, Ascherio A, Grodstein F. Fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive decline in aging women. Ann Neurol. 2005;57(5):713-20.

Stanaway L, Rutherfurd-markwick K, Page R, Ali A. Performance and Health Benefits of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017;9(11)