10 Powerful Foods for Seniors’ Brain Health

The brain being the energy-intensive organ and main control center of the body helps regulate every single function of our body whether it’s the lungs pumping oxygen to the blood, heart to beat, reducing inflammation and cellular stress which allows us to think and feel certain emotions properly. Every single part of the brain works around the clock every single day to enable us to walk, breathe, eat, sleep, cry, laugh, read and everything we do throughout the day. 

Which is why when you are old, you need to keep your brain in a healthy position to be able to manage all the activities you do daily and moreover so we are able to think as before, keep our ability to memorize stuff and not affect our focusing power.

Today we will discuss the 10 most powerful foods that you need to consume when you are a senior for the health of your brain:

Fatty Fish

The brain is mostly made up of fats and omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fishes like salmon help keep the brain healthy. It is one of the most important building block of the brain and is used by the brain to build new nerve cells, help in avoiding Alzheimer’s disease, and important in the improvement of memory and learning abilities. 

Among fatty fishes include lake trout, sardines, mackerel, herring, tuna, and salmon which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. People who consume oily fish in their healthy diet have increased blood flow in the brain thus have better-thinking abilities and cognition.

Berries

Blueberries being loaded with antioxidants such as catechin, caffeic acid, anthocyanin, quercetin, and flavonoids which can be very helpful in delaying the aging process of brain and memory improvement. 

One should consume an adequate amount of berries such as mulberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries as they have a positive effect on the brain by the improvement of communication between brain cells, helping the nerve cells to develop new connections thus reducing the inflammation and boost up the memory and learning abilities. They also help in avoiding and delaying neurodegenerative diseases related to age and cognitive decline as well. 

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is made up of cocoa which is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids. Such antioxidants are very important for brain health. Eating dark chocolate in small amounts when you are old can result in a strong blood vessels and neuron growth in specific parts of the brain thus enhancing blood flow in the brain.

Nuts and seeds

Among nuts, walnuts are very important for brain health as they have a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids which converts to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), great for brain function. 

Hazelnuts and walnuts have a rich concentration of vitamin E thus consuming such nuts can be very helpful in reducing the chances of old age cognitive decline. 

Peanuts protect against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disorder. Peanuts contain unsaturated healthy fats that help in staying alert and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. 

Seeds

Seeds such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are rich in many proteins and Omega-3 fatty acids. Pumpkin seeds protect the brain from harmful free radicals as they contain a high concentration of antioxidants. They have rich sources of many essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, copper, and iron.

Consuming pumpkin seeds in your diet can help to improve brain health as you age as they prevent many neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disorder, migraines, epilepsy, and stress. The deficiency of such nutrients can be very drastic for brain health as it results in impaired brain function and brain fog.

Eggs

Eggs contain two essential nutrients, choline and lutein which are very important in the growth and development of brain functions. In addition to these, eggs have a significantly high concentration of vitamin B6 and B12 and folate which can be useful in slowing the growth of mental decline. 

The body utilizes choline which is an important micronutrient to produce the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine which is used to regulate memory and mood. Eating an egg per day can decrease the risk of dementia and keeps you in good mood behaviors. 

Oranges

Vitamin C rich foods are very important for improving good brain health. Vitamin C being an essential and strong antioxidant helps in fighting free radicals that can cause damage to nerve cells.

Oranges contain a high concentration of Vitamin C that protects against mental decline and other age-related diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Other sources of vitamin C rich foods include kiwi, strawberries, guava, peppers, and tomatoes.

Whole grains

Whole grains consumption as a portion of healthy food can be very helpful to the brain and its functions. Oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, bulgur wheat, and barley are rich in many types of Vitamin B which are very crucial in the reduction of inflammation of the brain and thus resulting in the preservation and protection of long-term memory. They increase the blood flow to the brain cells thus increasing its capacity to work more. Whole grains are especially important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks which ultimately results in better brain health and development. 

Tumeric

Turmeric contains an active ingredient, curcumin which moves from blood to the brain directly and then benefits the nerve cells there. Curcumin is an important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that helps to boost up the brain health. 

Consuming turmeric in your diet improves memory especially among people having Alzheimer’s disorder. It also improves the mood by boosting dopamine and serotonin thus easing depression and stress. Therefore, turmeric can be used as an anti-depressant. Curcumin also boosts the growth of new brain cells as they contain a specific type of growth hormone neurotropic factor.

Coffee

Coffee is widely used to stay awake and to increase the concentration as the caffeine present in coffee blocks the adenosine. It increases the brain’s ability for interpreting information thus it is used as a boosting alert thereby increasing brain health as you age.

Being a very good source of antioxidants, drinking coffee can facilitate good brain health by reducing the risk of many degenerative disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disorder, and Parkinson’s disease. However, one should consume an adequate amount of coffee as it greatly affects the sleep of the person.