Brain foods in your cupboard

If you still have the view that eating healthy is like taking medicine,

here are some brain foods that’ll definitely put a smile on your face.

 ✓ Black gold. Tea drinkers, it may be time for a change. It’s

coffee’s turn to shine. This simple and ubiquitous drink is

incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – all of

which give your brain a boost. In fact, coffee is such a great

brain food that studies have shown that people who drink it

regularly may actually reduce the risk of mental decline and

Alzheimer’s and dementia. Choose freshly ground coffee to get

these benefits, rather than powdered coffee. If you can, swap-

ping your cappuccino for an espresso is the best way to get

your brain food – espresso is pure and full of brain-boosting

properties. But do use moderation – too much caffeine has its

negative effects (see Chapter 13).

 ✓ Sweet tooth. Chocolate is another food that you can smile

about. The cacao bean – what chocolate is made from – has

been hailed as a fantastic brain food. The cacao bean in its

pure form is best. Dark chocolate with a high percentage of

cacao solids is the next best thing. Milk chocolate contains

too much sugar and too little cacao solids, and white choco-

late contains no cacao solids at all. So before you indulge,

make sure that you select chocolate that has at least 70 per

cent cacao content. Otherwise all you’re getting is the sugar,

fat, and artificial flavourings, with none of the benefits.

 ✓ Nutty delights. Walnuts are touted as brain food because

they’re packed with omega-3 fatty acids. A mere quarter of a

cup of walnuts provides over 90 per cent of the recommended

daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds and pistachios

are another example of a brain nut. So get cracking and sprin-

kle these nuts over your oats, yogurt, and salads.

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