Ask Food: Boost your brainpower with these foods
Q: I’ve heard that some foods can boost my brainpower. Any truth to that?
A: Yes. Here’s a sampling:
Nuts: Snack on almonds, cashews or walnuts, which are packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps kick pesky free-radicals out of your body and creates antibodies that fight the bacteria that make you sick.
Greens: Turn back time with leafy greens. A recent study showed that people who ate three servings a day had the brain function of someone five years younger. Salads and sandwiches are easy options.
Eggs: Don’t forget the eggs. They have memory-boosting choline, protein for your muscles and lutein for your eyesight, important if you spend time in front of a computer screen.
Salmon: The omega fats found in salmon have been shown to boost brain development, improve function and decrease inflammation.
Citrus fruits: The famous vitamin C helps fight infection and is a good antioxidant to eat alongside vitamin E. Grapefruits, clementines, lemons, limes and tangerines are all part of this family. Citrus not your thing? Try bell peppers – they have more vitamin C than an orange.
Berries: Skip the chips and grab some berries during exam time. The antioxidants found in raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and cherries are linked to improved short-term memory.
Oatmeal: Don’t like regular oatmeal? Wake up your brain with an oatmeal smoothie. Mix up a batch before you go to bed for a quick breakfast on your way out the door. It really is the most important meal of the day.
Broccoli: Broccoli is full of fiber and immunity-boosting vitamins C and E. People who eat more cruciferous vegetables show slower mental decline. Raw broccoli is great, but we love the nutty taste of roasted broccoli.
(For more information, go to the website at www.foodnetwork.com or write Ask Food Network c/o Viewer Services Culinary Department, Scripps Networks, PO Box 50970, Knoxville, TN 37950.)
AP
03/15/11 09:52