The foods that will boost your brain power when you return to work after a relaxing summer

Sticking to some dietary basics can make you more attentive, more energetic, and enhance your memory.

By: Leslie Beck, RD

If you’re wondering how to get your brain in gear after a relaxing summer, the answer might be no farther away than your refrigerator.

Scientists are learning that the right foods, eaten at the right times, can help you concentrate, stay motivated, improve your memory and may even protect against age-related brain decline.

From carbohydrates and omega-3 fats to blueberries and spinach, research suggests the following foods and nutrients   are worth adding to your back-to-work menu.

BREAKFAST

Many studies have shown that skipping breakfast reduces mental performance and concentration. Kids who skip breakfast are more sluggish, less attentive, and have less energy in the morning activities compared to their peers who eat the morning meal.

Among adults, eating breakfast leads to improved mood, enhanced memory, and higher energy levels.

Breakfast foods like cereal, toast, and fruit raise blood glucose levels, which in turn fuels the brain after a night of fasting. Glucose not only gives the brain an energy boost, it’s also used to make acetylcholine, a memory neurotransmitter.

While any breakfast is better than no breakfast at boosting brain power, certain breakfasts do a better job than others. Breakfast foods that provide a slower and more sustained release of glucose boost memory and attention longer.

Slowly released breakfast foods (also called low glycemic index foods) include large flake or steel cut oatmeal (not instant), 100% bran cereals, whole grain breads with nuts and seeds, apples, oranges, grapefruit, berries, grapes, pears, milk, yogurt and soy beverages.

MID-DAY SNACKS

Your brain relies on a stream of glucose, meaning you need to fuel it every three to four hours with between-meal snacks. Snacks should boost blood glucose and keep it relatively stable until meal time – think carbohydrate (low glycemic), protein and a little fat.

Try fruit and almonds, a decaf latte, yogurt, whole grain crackers, part skim cheese, or an energy bar.

LEAFY GREENS

To keep your brain healthy as you age, consider adding leafy greens to your meals. In a study of 3,718

Chicago residents aged 65 and older, those who ate three vegetable servings each day had a 40 percent slower rate of cognitive decline compared to people who ate less than one serving.

(Age-related cognitive decline – the subtle decrease in memory and thinking processes – is considered to be a normal consequence of getting older.)

Green leafy vegetables such as kale, arugula, Swiss chard, collard greens, rapini, Romaine lettuce and spinach offered the most protection. Scientists attribute the protective effect of vegetables to vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects brain cells from oxidative damage and inflammation, processes that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

BLUEBERRIES

Studies conducted in elderly rats have shown that a blueberry-rich diet – the equivalent of one-half cup daily for humans – improved memory, coordination and balance.

Blueberries were also shown to boost the communication between failing brain cells in mice genetically pre-disposed to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Phytochemicals in blueberries, called anthocyanins, combat free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can damage brain cells.

APPLES

Munching an apple or two each day might sharpen your memory.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Lowell found that a diet enriched with apple juice – comparable to two 8-ounce glasses of apple juice or two to three apples a day – boosted the production of acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in enhanced memory.

Scientists suspect that antioxidants in apples are responsible for improving cognition and memory.

FISH

Eating fish might also help keep an aging brain in peak form. A study that followed 815 adults, aged 65 to 94 years, for almost four years revealed that those who ate fish at least once per week were 60 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to people who rarely or never ate fish.

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish, especially DHA (docosahexanaenoic acid), keeps the lining of brain cells flexible so memory messages can pass easily between cells. They also reduce inflammation and prevent the hardening of arteries in the brain.

The best sources of DHA include salmon, trout, Arctic char, sardines, mackerel and herring. If you don’t like fish, consider taking a fish oil capsule each day.

IRON

Studies have shown that low blood levels of iron (ferritin) – even in the absence of anemia – can impair concentration and memory in children, teenagers and adults. Iron helps transfer oxygen to brain cells and it’s used to make neurotransmitters that help regulate our ability to concentrate.

Good sources of iron include red meat, enriched breakfast cereals, whole grain breads, dried fruit beans, legumes, tofu, and nuts. A multivitamin and mineral supplement will also help menstruating females and vegetarians meet their daily iron requirements.

B VITAMINS

A one-a-day supplement will also boost your intake of B vitamins, nutrients that play a critical role in manufacturing neurotransmitters and releasing energy in brain cells.

An adequate intake of B vitamins – especially folate and B12 – also keep blood levels of an amino acid, called homocysteine, in check. A high homocysteine level damages artery walls and is thought to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

To consume plenty of B vitamins, eat a varied diet. Good sources of folate include lentils, cooked spinach, asparagus, avocados and oranges. Vitamin B12 is found in lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and enriched soy beverages.

Leslie Beck is a Toronto-based dietitian in private practice, best-selling author, and Globe and Mail columnist. Visit her website at www.lesliebeck.com