Students and white-collar workers are both mental laborers who are prone to overusing their brains, leading to dizziness, blurred vision, and memory decline, which affects work efficiency. Therefore, it is important to use your brain scientifically and actively nourish it. So, what are brain-boosting foods? Below, we recommend 4 of the most powerful and effective brain-nourishing foods!
1. Fish
Fish is one of the top foods for promoting intellectual development. Fish heads are rich in lecithin, an important source of neurotransmitters in the human brain. It can enhance human memory, thinking, and analytical abilities, and can control the degeneration of brain cells, delaying aging. Fish is also an excellent source of high-quality protein and calcium, especially containing a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, which is particularly important for the normal development of the brain and eyes.
Why is it often said that eating fish makes you smarter? There is actually a scientific basis for this. The DHA found in fish is mainly present in the brain, retina, and nerves in the human body. DHA can maintain normal retinal function, a nutrient that infants especially need to promote healthy vision development; DHA is also extremely beneficial for human brain and intellectual development, and is an indispensable nutrient for the growth of the nervous system.
Most seafood contains DHA, but deep-sea fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, saury, and horse mackerel contain the most, especially in the fatty tissue near the fish's eyeball. Although cod, milkfish, and snakehead fish have high oil content, their omega-3 fatty acid content is not very high; the omega-3 fatty acid content in tuna, yellow croaker, sea bass, and ribbonfish is even lower.
Grilled Saury
2. Walnuts
We all know that walnuts are a great food for diet therapy and brain nourishment, known as the "brain gold." Because they are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, they are recognized as traditional Chinese brain-nourishing and intelligence-enhancing foods, and children must eat them. 2-3 walnuts per day is appropriate. Persisting in this can help nourish the brain, enhance memory, and eliminate mental fatigue. Moreover, the phospholipids in walnuts have a good health-care effect on the brain nerves. Walnut oil contains unsaturated fatty acids, which has the effect of preventing and treating arteriosclerosis. Walnut kernels contain essential trace elements for the human body such as zinc, manganese, and chromium. The cough-relieving and asthma-relieving effects of walnut kernels are also very significant, and they are extremely effective for patients with chronic bronchitis and asthma in winter.
The fat in walnut kernels, although it is unsaturated fat that helps clear cholesterol, has a high caloric value itself. If consumed in excess and not fully utilized by the body, it will be stored as cholesterol, which has the opposite effect. Generally, the daily intake of walnut kernels should be around 20-40 grams, which is equivalent to about 4-5 walnuts. At the same time, the intake of other fats should be appropriately reduced to avoid excessive calorie intake. Be sure not to overeat, as overeating can lead to dry stools and nosebleeds.
3. Peanuts
Peanuts are a traditional food loved by Chinese people, with certain medicinal value and health functions. They contain 7% polyphenols, and the antioxidant properties of polyphenols are 50 times that of vitamin E, which can effectively delay aging and improve intelligence. They were called "ginseng fruit" by the ancients and are one of the three world-recognized brain-boosting nuts. Moreover, peanuts are rich in lecithin and cephalin, which are important substances needed by the nervous system and can delay brain function decline, inhibit platelet aggregation, and prevent the formation of cerebral thrombosis. Experiments have confirmed that regular consumption of peanuts can improve blood circulation, enhance memory, and delay aging, making it a truly "longevity fruit."
Peanuts are rich in pantothenic acid, which can improve memory. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), when taken together with lecithin from egg yolks and soybeans, can improve memory. Niacin (vitamin B3) found in oysters and animal liver also has the effect of improving memory. Foods rich in pantothenic acid include yeast, peanuts, tofu, green onions, chives, broccoli, etc.
Braised Pig's Trotters with Fermented Bean Curd Peanuts
4. Kiwi
Among the top 26 fruits consumed in the world, kiwi is the most abundant and comprehensive. The fruit of the kiwi has the highest content of vitamin C, magnesium, and trace elements, and these are important nutrients for maintaining cardiovascular health. Among the top three low-sodium, high-potassium fruits, kiwi ranks first because it contains more potassium than bananas and citrus fruits.
Kiwi is rich in vitamin C, which can relieve depression. Vitamin C also plays a role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain and can alleviate depression. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, guavas, bitter melon, and fresh jujubes. Milk is an excellent source of high-quality protein, riboflavin, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. These nutrients can provide the brain with a variety of nutrients it needs.
Kiwi, Snow Pear, and Banana Juice
Vanilla chicken rolls
Pyramids of gold and mushrooms
Plum yeast