6 Foods to Make You Smarter
Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your mom told you when you were a kid, “Never skip breakfast!”. Without breakfast, your metabolism is lower, you think less clearly, you're more likely to snack on sweets later in the day and you may even gain weight!
While we all know breakfast is immensely important and what you eat matters! So to make the most of your munch, don't skip breakfast and eat these 6 foods to be smarter as well.
Want to be smarter? Eat up!
1. Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, providing 37 percent of your daily recommended intake in a one-ounce serving (about 23 almonds or a handful). Take them on the go! A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that “a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly”. Furthermore, almonds also provide a healthy combination of protein, fiber and healthful fats to help maintain your blood.
2. Oats contain iron, zinc, potassium and b-vitamins . Studies show that children who ate oatmeal for breakfast scored 20 % higher than kids who ate sugary foods. The fuel for your brain is glucose, which comes from carbohydrates in foods like oats. Since your body breaks down the carbs in whole-grain oats very slowly, they help keep you focused for a few hours.
3. Blueberries contain antioxidants that can help activate the brain’s “housekeeper” mechanism, which cleans out parts of cells that become damaged. Women ages 70 and older who ate blueberries at least once per week or strawberries twice per week or more had a brain age as much as 2½ years younger than those who ate the berries less than once per month, according to a Harvard study that followed more than 16,000 women for almost 20 years. Tip: Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh ones and can save you a bang for your buck. Furthermore, new research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that daily consumption of the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries showed positive changes in cognitive function over a placebo. The research, "Dietary blueberry improves cognition among older adults in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial," was conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
4. Avocados contain non cholesterol fats that improve brain health. “Avocados, Satiety and Glucose Levels” a journal published in 2013, investigated how incorporating one-half of a avocado affected hunger, blood sugar and/or insulin response, and increase in blood flow. This increase in blood flow means a healthier brain, and a more productive day!
5. Eggs are rich in choline, a B vitamin-like nutrient. Studies done by Boston University researchers tracked the eating habits of nearly 1,400 healthy adults for 10 years and found that choline intake correlated positively with better performance on certain types of memory tests.
6. Apples are a leading source of quercetin, an antioxidant plant chemical that keeps your mental juices flowing by protecting your brain cells. According to researchers at Cornell University, quercetin defends your brain cells from free radical attacks which can damage the outer lining of delicate neurons and eventually lead to cognitive decline.
