Overboost Your Brain with these 15 Foods

When we consider our brains, we tend to think of self-contained organs that sit inside our skulls, responsible for thinking and logical deduction. It’s natural to do that, because we tend to use a sort of shorthand when it comes to discussion of brain function. We make up our minds, we use our noggins and we scratch our heads.

While our brains certainly are the center of our deductive reason, they are less akin to organs like the heart and liver, and more like a supercomputer, responsible for controlling every function our bodies perform.

How the Brain Works

The human brain is an amazingly complex organ. It controls our breathing, blood flow and body temperature. It coordinates our physical movements and makes sensory perception possible. And of course, it is what allows us to think, feel, and reason. It is composed of approximately 100 billion neurons, or nerve cells, contained in a solid mass approximately the size of a head of cauliflower. Each neuron is specialized – for example, neurons in the auditory cortex are fine-tuned to pick up particular pitches and rhythms, which our brains then coalesce into single experience: music.

The brain’s primary energy source is glucose, the sugar your digestive system extracts from carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy. The brain requires glucose to do what it does, which is why ultra-low-carbohydrate diets are not very good for you. The brain makes up only about 2% of your body weight, but it uses approximately 20% of the glucose you take in.

When your body doesn’t get enough carbohydrates your brain can’t function properly. You may experience fuzziness, memory loss and difficulty concentrating. It is very important to give your brain the fuel it needs. Interestingly, the same is true when your blood sugar is too high. Excess glucose in the bloodstream can cause oxidative damage to your neurons. In other words, your brain is a like a car – you can’t put unleaded fuel in a diesel engine and expect it to run.

While glucose is the primary source of the brain’s energy, there are other foods that help to boost your brain’s ability to function at a high level. Getting enough of these foods on a regular basis will ensure that your brain stays healthy.

The 15 Foods That Will Boost Your Brain Power

It is more important to pay attention to the quality of the food you are eating than to focus on calories alone. Many of us get so caught up in losing weight that we forget to give our bodies the fuel they need – and our brains need a lot of fuel. Add these 15 foods to your diet today, and you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life.