Memory is an integral part of daily life and how we live and learn. A good memory keeps us from making mistakes that we've made before and allows us to connect with others by remembering names, notable events and even past emotions. A healthy body and even more so a healthy mind has a significant effect on how well we remember things. If you're feeling distracted, there are a variety of potential causes. Lack of sleep, low physical activity, genetics and an unhealthy diet are all factors that can contribute to a sluggish memory. By fueling your body with brain-boosting foods, you may help improve your memory and, at the same time, improve your overall health.Now, what exactly is a brain-boosting food? The best diet for heightening memory and increasing brain function is one that stimulates blood flow and provides your brain with the energy it needs. The brain uses a lot of energy to maintain concentration throughout the day. This significant energy requirement needs particular nutrients and antioxidants to keep the mind active and healthy. To help the brain build and repair brain cells, your diet must consist of the nutrient-rich foods it craves.To help ensure that your memory remains sharp, we've rounded up a list of our favorite memory boosting foods that work to increase brain power naturally.
Green Veggies
It's a well-known fact that veggies are great for you. While nearly every vegetable is bursting with health benefits, leafy green veggies are especially rich in brain-healthy nutrients. Green veggies like spinach, broccoli and kale are loaded with vitamins like Vitamin K, folate and beta carotene.Thankfully, delicious green veggies are one of the most accessible foods to add to your diet. Greens can be added to many dishes you eat regularly. Sandwiches, smoothies, burgers and even omelets are all foods that can incorporate greens without the meal needing to be based around them. Eat veggies as a side dish or work them into your main course. The health benefits are astounding!
A delicious brunch or savory breakfast recipe, this tart is incredibly easy to prepare. The perfect dish to impress guests, it's rich in a variety of healthy ingredients that are sure to give your memory a wholesome boost.
Berries
Berries are a juicy and natural treat that pair well with many foods. Due to their sweetness, berries can transform a variety of dishes into a dessert-like treat that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. Often used as an all-natural sweetener in a variety of recipes, their delightful texture is sure to enhance just about any meal. In addition to their delicious taste, berries are full of antioxidants and brain-boosting nutrients. An excellent source of Vitamin C, fiber and phytochemicals, berries can help to replenish the nutrients your body uses throughout the day and allow it to continue working at top performance. Fueling your body with brain-healthy ingredients like berries will undoubtedly have positive effects on brain function and memory performance.
Add more brain-boosting berries to your diet with a recipe like these naturally sweetened bars. Refined sugar and gluten free, these bars are sweetened with honey and blueberries, making them a healthy, on-the-go treat when you need a quick energy lift. Easy to whip up, make this recipe in large batches for a satisfying breakfast or snack.
Fish
If you're searching for a delicious brain boosting food, you can never go wrong with fish! The perfect protein to enjoy at lunch or dinner time, fish is bursting with health benefits. Not only is fish an incredibly versatile protein option, but incorporating more of it into your diet will help ensure that youre getting adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Food rich in omega-3 fatty acids is a vital part of a healthy diet because our bodies don't produce them naturally. Which means the only way to get this nutrient is through food!Not sure what kind of fish you should eat? Some of our favorite choices include salmon, herring and trout. When choosing which fish to purchase, we recommend looking for sustainably caught, fresh fish. Doing so will ensure that your fish is of the best quality.
This healthy spin on fish sticks will transport your right back to your childhood. Zesty, with a delicious crunch, this recipe is the perfect opportunity to create a finger food that both kids and adults will love. Made best with white fish such as cod, these fish sticks are a great grain free dinner or snack option and loaded with nutritional benefits. Add them to your weekly dinner menu or make them for your next gathering. Either way, they're sure to be a crowd favorite.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have a vast array of benefits, which make them a highly functional food. Small in size, chia seeds can be added to smoothies, baked goods and yogurt as a way to amp up the health benefits of any dish.They can also be used as the main ingredient in many vegan/vegetarian recipe alternatives. Chia seeds act as a binding agent, bringing the ingredients of a recipe together, and can be used to replace eggs and oils. Aside from their baking purposes, chia seeds pack a nutritional punch. They are derived from the salvia hispanica l plant, native to Mexico and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein and calcium are just a few of the many nutrients chia seeds offer. When eaten as a part of a healthy diet, chia seeds can positively impact the functioning of several organs, including the brain. Increased concentration and improved memory are just a couple of the various benefits chia seeds offer.
If you already have a tasty meal in mind and don't want to change up the menu, then try adding this chia seed cranberry sauce into the mix. A sweet way to add flavor to a recipe, this cranberry sauce is healthy, delicious and can be made in just 10 minutes. The main ingredients of this sauce include chia seeds and cranberries, two antioxidant-rich superfoods that will surely give your brain a boost of energy.
Turmeric
For another memory boosting food, try turmeric, which is quickly becoming a widely recognized superfood. Not only does turmeric add a boost of nutrition to your meals, but it can also be customized based on your preferences. Add turmeric to rice or even use it as a flavor boost in your favorite soup recipe. Turmeric is an excellent spice to keep in the kitchen.Want to add turmeric to your diet but don't know where to start? Try adding a dash of it to your favorite rice or soup recipe. When cooking with turmeric, a little goes a long way. Because it's packed with flavor, adding too much of this spice to a meal can be overbearing. If you're new to cooking with turmeric, we recommend adding just a pinch of it at first and working your way up from there.
A great way to test the waters and see if you like the taste of turmeric is by adding it to a sweet smoothie like this one. This lively smoothie is the perfect way to start your morning or your workout. Just a pinch of turmeric adds a subtle flavor that you can adjust to your liking. Plus, this smoothie is an excellent source of protein, fiber and iron to fuel you throughout your day.Now that you're familiar with some of the best foods for boosting memory, it's time to incorporate them into your diet. When working on your memory-enhancing menu, It's important to remember that everybody is different, and our taste buds crave different things. If there are foods on this list that you're not a fan of, don't eat them! Start with the foods that you enjoy eating and look for recipes that you can add them to. By incorporating more of these nutrient-rich foods into your diet, you can supply your body and brain with the vitamins it needs to keep running its best.Have a brain-boosting recipe of your own? We'd love to hear about it. At Bob's Red Mill, we're always looking for new dishes to incorporate into our healthy lifestyles and would love to hear what healthy recipes are in your cookbook. Share your favorite memory boosting food with us in the comments below. We can't wait to learn about the different dishes you enjoy.