Wednesday, July 4, 2007

What foods are good for the brain?

I asked a question at Yahoo! Answer to help me formulate an answer to my question "What food is good for the brain?".

I received 6 very good answers. One was from Bobby Cow. He answered, "Some say chocolate is good for memory (moderation). I would recommend dark chocolate less processed than milk chocolate."

Another good answer, and the one I proclaimed best answer, because he was the very first person to come up with good answer, in fact he was the first one to comeup with an answer. He was Lionchef. He said, "Salmon or any fish,fruits and veggies. If u can use a juicer for fruits and veggies, it is the best".

I really wanted to prove dj's Answer correct, "I've always been told fish and popcorn were brain food.", because I love popcorn. But the only thing I could come up with when I did the search was this definition to "Popcorn Head". So I would be careful telling people you eat popcorn for brain food.

Most answers mentioned fish of some kind. Fish is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Luckly for me that is not the only source, because I hate fish. sources include:



Omega-3 fatty acid food sources
KrillFlax(aka linseed) and flaxseed oilMicroalgae
Oil from brown algaeAcai Palm FruitWalnuts and walnut oil
tofu canola (rapeseed) oilsoybeans and soybean oil
pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oilpurslaneperilla seed oil
fish oil capsulesNew Zealand green lipped mussels ( Perna canaliculus )Cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, and herring)
Fatty fish(like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon)Meat (grass-fed is often higher in omega-3 vs. grain fed animals. Lamb is almost alway grass fed)Milk and cheese (Grass-Fed cows do better in omega-3)
Eggs(higher levels omega-3 in producing chickens is fed a diet of greens and insects)
IMPORTANT: Flaxseed, flaxseed oil, and fish oil should be kept refrigerated. Whole flaxseeds must be ground within 24 hours of use, otherwise the ingredients lose their activity. Flaxseeds are also available in ground form in a special mylar package so that the components in the flaxseeds stay active.


According toDr. David Horrobin, a pioneer in fatty acid research, omega-3 fatty acids comprise approximately eight percent of the average human brain. A benefit of omega-3s is helping the brain to repair damage by promoting neuronal growth. Bijal Trivedi The good, the fad, and the unhealthy New Scientist, 23 September 2006, pp 42-49.

Intake of omega-3 fatty acids is correlated with a better mood and more positive outlook, and may contribute to improving the structure of the areas of the brain associated with emotions, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. http://www.newstarget.com/021767.html

Again Lionchef mentioned fruits and vegetables. There is also "mounting evidence that highlights the antioxidant power of vegetables and fruit to help the human body fight a raft of diseases". Eating plenty of spinach and blueberries may considerably limit brain damage from strokes and other neurological disorders. http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=59366-fruit-and-vegetable

Just like Bobby Cow said, Dark chocolate is helpful with keeping blood pressure down. I must insist that moderation is important though. It you over do it on chocolate or keep over eatting, it can led to obesity. Obesity Helping keep the blood pressure down.

It's becoming increasingly clear that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is at the root of much cognitive decline that has previously been attributed to aging. The more that scientists scrutinize brain function, and especially memory, the more they conclude that we have the ability to keep our memory and spirit strong well into old age. But it depends on how well we nourish our brain throughout life. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=37473

I think everyone for there help with this research.




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