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It goes without saying that superfoods for the brain (or anything else) don't exist. No matter how much some people try to sell us the bike, there is no food that has superpowers and that by itself increases our intellectual capacity or prevents cognitive decline.

What are the nutrients?

What is certain is that eating certain nutrients can help improve what's going on up there. For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved a health claim that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contributes to the normal functioning of the brain.

Sounds good, right? But be careful! this claim cannot be blithely made on the packaging of any product with DHA, but the food that boasts of it has to meet certain requirements. For example, this claim can only be used on foods containing a minimum of 40 mg of DHA per 100 g and per 100 kcal. In addition, it should be specified on the packaging that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of docosahexaenoic acid.

Luckily, and although all this may sound very complicated to us, the good news is that science has shown that the best foods for the brain are generally the same as those that are good for our heart and our cardiovascular health. That is, a diet based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, healthy protein... If it is also washed down with virgin olive oil and we add seeds and nuts, it is the best recipe to protect our health.

That said, and although it is essential that the diet includes healthy ingredients in general, the Harvard School of Public Health is getting wet and proposes five families of foods that we must remember to include in the menu if we want to take care of our neurons.

Nuts

Nuts, especially walnuts, are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets rich in ALA and other omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner, clearer arteries. As we mentioned, this benefits both the heart and the brain.

But don't they say that nuts are "very fattening"? Myth! It is true that nuts have a high caloric density, but also that they are very satiating, that their consumption displaces that of other less healthy foods, that their fiber can "hinder" the absorption of other compounds such as sugars and cholesterol and that... surprise! To digest a nut, more calories are expended than to digest other foods with the same caloric intake. All these reasons mean that, despite the fact that nuts have a high energy density, they are a recommended food whose multiple benefits outweigh their disadvantages.

Berries

And from nuts we go to red fruits. Studies suggest that flavonoids can also help improve memory. Flavonoids are those natural plant pigments that make berries look their characteristic bright hues (for example, in blackberries, cranberries or strawberries).

They are also foods that are particularly rich in fibre, which is essential for keeping a microbiota in good shape. This is also beneficial for our brain as we know that there is a gut-brain axis capable of connecting our guts to our mind. For all these factors, berries are a winning horse if what we are looking for are foods with neuroprotective potential.

Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables

We're talking about foods like spinach, chard, watercress... and especially the cruciferous family that includes kale, arugula, cabbage, cauliflower, cabbage or broccoli. All of these foods are rich in vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta-carotene.

Specifically, carotenoids and isothiocyanates (present in cruciferous vegetables) are considered bioactive compounds with possible neuroprotective effects. Although more studies are needed, the results of various research conclude that these foods can help slow down cognitive decline.

Oily fish

Despite the fact that it has traditionally been criticized and has been largely misunderstood, over the years science has been responsible for placing oily fish on the map. Long live the sardines! Oily fish is rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3).

These fatty acids have been linked to lower levels of beta-amyloid in the blood, the protein that forms harmful clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

People who don't eat fish can also get these essential fatty acids from plant sources such as flaxseeds or nuts. In any case, if the doctor deems it necessary, he or she may consider incorporating a supplement.

Coffee & Tea

Coffee contains caffeine and tea is rich in theine (which is actually also caffeine but by a different name). Caffeine, despite being undeservedly burdened with many myths and stigmas, also has an EFSA-approved nutrition claim.

It can be said that this molecule stimulates the central nervous system and, in moderate doses, increases alertness and reduces drowsiness.

And what is a moderate dose? It depends on how we look at it. If we consider what a moderate dose in a single dose is (i.e., how much caffeine I drink in one sitting) we should know that single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg do not present safety concerns for the general healthy adult population.

And how many coffees are that? If a coffee has around 80-90 mg of caffeine, we are talking about not drinking more than 2 coffees in the same "little while". If we talk about what a moderate dose is throughout the day, the EFSA calculates that the maximum is to drink 400 mg of caffeine in total, that is, about 4-5 coffees a day.

It is important to note that the way in which caffeine affects us varies individually and will depend on whether we are slow or fast metabolizers, that is, it will depend on the way in which our body is able to process caffeine. This is the reason why some people can have a coffee after dinner and sleep like a dormouse, while others, if they have a coffee at four in the afternoon, they no longer sleep a wink.

  • Apothecary Garcia
  • Feeding