Superfoods help to boost your brain power

Ever stop in the middle of a room and can’t remember why you’re there. Don’t stress that you’re having a senior moment! Instead, stock your fridge with these healthy brain-boosting foods. Some are also good for your heart, because your brain is only as strong as the arteries leading to it. Others are rich in antioxidants to help repair cell walls and membranes.

Green Tea

You may have heard how great this drink is for weight loss. Sip a few cups each day and you’ll be slim and sharp: An antioxidant in green tea known as EGCG wards off the formation of beta amyloid peptides – proteins that make up the plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Brown Rice

Not only is it a healthy whole grain packed with fiber, but it also contains a substance called ferulic acid that’s been found to suppress those same memory-killing beta amyloid peptides. In fact, for a super smart and flavorful side dish, cook a batch of brown rice in green tea instead of water.

Skim Milk

Stuck inside all day? You’re probably not getting enough vitamin D, which is produced by the body in response to sun exposure. D is also found in fortified milk and dairy products. Research suggests that vitamins, linked with a lower risk for a slew of conditions from cancer to osteoporosis to heart disease, may also help prevent cognitive decline. Those who are deficient are more likely to experience loss of the executive function (thinking skills like planning and organizing) as they age.

H20

Need to clear away some mental cobwebs? Tip your glass. Being well hydrated increases healthy brian chemicals. If you want to make sure your memory, creativity, and focus are at their peak, drink 6 to 8 cups a day.

Romaine Lettuce

Fill your salad bowl to the brim with leafy greens. Along with beans and fortified foods like brad and cereal, they’re a great source of folate; this B vitamin keeps another protein called homocysteine from building up in the arteries. Research has shown that people with Alzheimer’s have higher levels of homocysteine in their brains than those without the disease.

Fish

A good part of the brain is made up of fatty tissue, and about a third of that is DHA, an omega-3 fat also found in cold-water fish like salmon and sardines. DHA from these foods (or from supplements and vitamins) can help rebuild brain cell membranes, boost intellectual performance, fight depression, and prevent the type of small stokes that lead to memory loss and dementia.

Eggs

Egg-white omelets are all the rage, but order tem exclusively and you’ll miss out on the best part: The yolk is chock-full of choline, a B vitamin that aids the body in manufacturing a substance called acetylcholine. Low levels of this neurotransmitter reduce your mental energy and ability to think clearly. In one study, college students who had tow boiled eggs for breakfast scored 10 to 20 percent higher on their exams.

Blueberries

Dark-colored fruits and berries get their color from a group of compounds called anthocyanins. These antioxidants protect brain cells against the free-radical damage caused by pollution, poor diet, and stress. Research has shown that eating more blueberries can improve your working memory within three weeks.