The brain weighs about 1400 grams, accounting for 2% of body weight, but the energy it requires accounts for 20% of the body's total consumption, so it's no exaggeration to say the brain is a "big eater."
Eat breakfast. While you sleep, your brain continues to consume calories. When you wake up, your brain is at its most energy-deprived. A good breakfast helps the brain to wake up and start the day's work. Breakfast should ideally be based on unrefined grains like whole wheat and brown rice.
Chew your food thoroughly, aiming for 20 chews per bite. When you use your chewing muscles, the stimulation is transmitted to the brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex, increasing brain activity. Thorough chewing also helps secrete cholecystokinin, a hormone that travels through the bloodstream to the brain, improving memory and learning ability.
Eat more meals together. Research from the Einstein School of Medicine found that teenagers who eat with their parents consume more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. To ensure your child's brain and body develop well and to strengthen family bonds, try to cook at home and share meals with the whole family.
Follow a Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet includes large amounts of vegetables, fruits, and grains, with seafood like deep-sea fish as the main protein source. It reduces the consumption of meat and poultry, uses olive oil for cooking, and includes moderate consumption of red wine. Studies have shown that regularly following a Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 40%. Countries that love fish, like Finland and Sweden, have the lowest rates of Alzheimer's patients.