Everyone knows the role of nutrition in mental health and the importance of diet in depression and brain functions.
You must eat top foods for mental health. Here are the superfoods for mind body and wellbeing.
How Does Omega-3 Help Your Brain?
The main benefit of omega-3 is to improve brain function. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats which are primarily responsible for brain function and thus it is vital for mental health. Omega-3s can also help in depression symptoms and mental-disorder ailments of all kinds.
Foods that are good sources of omega-3s include fatty-fish, nuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil, nuts and dark-green leafy vegetables. Fish oil contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids — eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These two fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are what cell membranes are made of and they are responsible for critical brain function.
Apart from fish oil, human body can produce EPA and DHA form another omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, canola oil and soybean oil.
Walnuts are one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids on earth. Owing to this reason, walnuts support brain function and reduce depression symptoms and have a very calming effect on brain-cells.
Avocado
Avocado is high in healthy fats and natural carbohydrates. To be more specific, 100-gram of avocado contains Vitamin K (26 of daily-value or %DV), Folate (20% DV), Vitamin C (17% DV), Potassium (14% DV), Vitamin B5 (14% DV), Vitamin B6 (13% DV), Vitamin E (10% DV), and small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B3 (niacin).
Avocados are power foods for brain because they contain healthy monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid. These monounsaturated fatty acids help protect glial cells in the brain (known as astrocytes), which are vital for information-carrying nerves.
They also help keep your brain cell membranes flexible.
Berries
Berries, all kinds of them (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries) are loaded with cell-repairing antioxidant and minerals.
All colored berries have anthocyanins (plant compounds) which has a remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Berries are vital for brain as they prevent all kinds of oxidative stress and inflammation on cellular levels which prevent brain aging and neurodegenerative ailments.
Another great reason to eat lots of berries is – antioxidants are DNA repairing substance. They repair brain cells and preventing from cellular damage. Berries also help to improve memory and delay short-term memory loss and low response time.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain powerful antioxidants which protect the brain from all forms of radical and oxidative damage. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium, copper, iron and zinc, which are important for brain health.
Zinc is responsible for nerve signaling. Studies have shown that Zinc deficiency is linked to neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, chronic depression and Parkinson’s disease. Magnesium is another essential element for memory because low magnesium levels causes migraines, depression and even epilepsy.
Speaking of Copper, it helps control nerve signals on cellular levels and decrease in copper can lead to a higher risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Lastly, Iron is responsible for effective brain function.
Apart from these, foods high in fiber and antioxidants can prevent cell damage. There are various foods that are high on antioxidants, such as Beta-Carotene (carrots, collards, peaches, apricots, broccoli, spinach, pumpkin and sweet potato), Vitamin C (oranges, blueberries, broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, tomato) and Vitamin E (nuts and seeds).
It is very vital to consume above listed foods in proper quantity because dietary factors can affect multiple brain processes and functions.