Boost Your Brain Power
Boost your brain power at any age
Excerpts from Fiona Carruthers' Healthy Food Guide article.
Yes, the food you eat really can make you smarter, sharper and
more alert, from the womb to old age.
Foods the brain needs
The brain is the size of a small cauliflower, but it's
the greediest part of the body. Despite only accounting for about
2.5% of our body weight, it guzzles its way through 20% of the
kilojoules we consume. There are some important foods that give the
brain a boost and provide it with top-quality fuel to build brain
cells, keep us going and stave off decline.
The brain needs two types of food to satisfy its large appetite.
Firstly the fuel needed to function on a day-to-day basis, which
tops up its energy supply, just like petrol in a car. And like a
car, it also requires components to put it together in the first
place, and ongoing servicing.
Being so hungry for food, there is never a time in our lives that
our brain is not affected by what we eat.
School-aged children
What the brain needs
At this age the brain is processing lots of new information every
day. The brain needs protein, carbohydrate, omega-3s and a range of
vitamins and minerals.
What to eat
- Breakfast, however big or small, gives the brain
fuel with which to work. Toast, breakfast cereal, eggs, fruit or
yoghurt are all good ways to start the school day.
- Any protein foods, like meat, fish, nuts, cheese or milk,
keep you alert. They stimulate the production of the 'feel good'
hormone, dopamine, helping you enjoy the subjects you usually like
least.
- Peanut butter sandwiches help keep the baton passing from
neuron to neuron as fast as possible. If your school does not allow
peanuts, substitute with egg, lean meat or cheese.
- Oily fish are important for learning as well as growing.
Canned fish are a good sandwich or wrap filler for school
lunch.
- Try to add fruit and vegetables to all your meals to ensure the
full range of mind-bending vitamins and minerals. They are also
good choices for brain food snack breaks.
Plus
No amount of the best food can replace a good night's
sleep. Whether in the classroom, on the sports field or during
exams, you will feel and do so much better if you are awake!
Top 10 brain-boosting foods
1. Blueberries
2. Cranberries
3. Oily fish: salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, kahawai
4. Red meat: beef, lamb, venison
5. Nuts: walnuts, peanuts, brazils
6. Breakfast cereals
7. Bread
8. Eggs
9. Red cabbage
10. Yoghurt
