Your brain may only account for about 3% of your total body weight, but it’s a powerhouse. It takes up more than 17% of the energy that your body produces from eating — and uses every bit of it to power its many functions. But for your brain to do its job well, it needs more than just energy. There are specific vitamins, minerals, and other compounds in the food that you eat that are vital. In this article, we list out the top nutrients for brain health and function, and how to add them to your diet — read on to learn more about what the brain needs!
A nutrient with much potential in supporting a variety of brain functions is bacosides, which is a naturally occurring compound in the herb Bacopa Monnieri. This nutrient is proven to boost brain health in many ways.
Bacosides encourage more blood flow toward your brain, support the transmission of brain signals to the rest of your body, increase brain density, and promote brain plasticity. It does all of this by triggering the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which your brain needs to repair itself and create new brain cells.
Aside from bacosides, bacopa monnieri contains other compounds that support these benefits for your brain. This includes nutrients like saponins, desaponin glycosides, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, d-mannitol, and betulinic acid. Each of these nutrients offers different support for proper brain function. Thus, Bacopa Monnieri is a powerful brain-boosting herb.
More than half your brain is made of fat, which means that fatty acids are very important to keeping a healthy brain. And when we talk about good fat, we mean Omega-3 fatty acids — which your brain uses as a building block.
It needs a good source of omega-3s to create new brain and nerve cells, as well as support memory and learning functions. Thus, this fatty acid is key to keeping your brain “young.” It’s so effective that diets that are rich in Omega-3s (like the Mediterranean diet) can ward off cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Omega-3s are found in fatty fish, like salmon and herring. It can also be found in smaller quantities in walnuts, chia seeds, and soybeans.
Your mood is also influenced by the nutrition you get. Your brain needs a host of vitamins to regulate hormone and chemical production — and B vitamins are some of the most important ones for this function.
B vitamins help your brain balance out the hormones in your brain, which reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and migraines, among other mood-affecting disorders. Plus, B vitamins boost your energy levels! If you need to up your vitamin intake, most B vitamins are found in animal products like dairy and eggs, as well as leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Minerals are important for powering cells and promoting their growth. For brain cells, one of the most important minerals is zinc. Zinc plays a huge role in transmitting neurochemical signals from your brain, and also supports the healthy growth of brain tissue and cells.
A zinc deficiency can be disastrous for your brain. Some research shows that a lack of zinc can impair brain development, as it supports DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. However, too much zinc can also weaken your cells and cause fatigue. So, a good balance of zinc-rich foods — like red meat, shellfish, and legumes — is key.
Concerning the brain, magnesium is another essential mineral for communication and reception between nerve impulses and the rest of your body. Magnesium acts as the second messenger for neuron signals, so it’s key for the remarkable ability of the brain to sense, interpret, and act upon stimulus from your surrounding environment.
Like B vitamins, leafy green vegetables like spinach are a good source of magnesium. Nuts, seeds, and grains also provide plenty of this crucial nutrient for the brain. Low-fat milk, yogurt, and some breakfast cereals also contain magnesium.
Calcium is another nutrient that is important for brain health. Calcium facilitates the release of neurotransmitters — the chemical messengers of your brain. Thus, it plays a central role in your brain’s communication with other neurons and the rest of your body. Neurotransmitters are particularly important for memory storage and retrieval.
One well-known source of calcium is dairy and dairy products, like cheese and yogurt. Other good sources of this mineral are vegetables, like bok choy, turnip greens, watercress, and broccoli. It can also be found in nuts and seeds, such as almonds, sesame, and hazelnuts
Your brain is a complex system, thus it requires many different vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other organic compounds found in different foods. These six nutrients for brain health are essential — they play many major roles in improving and supporting various functions, such as memory, attention, focus, and growth.
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