Here is a list of foods that are particularly high in Omega-3, antioxidants, or other substances that promote brain health.
Fish and Seafood
Fish are a great source of Omega-3, and research is strong on the benefits of fish and seafood consumption. In fact, oily ocean fish are the most potent anti-inflammatory food you can put into your body.
However, with the publication of research that also shows high amounts of mercury and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some fish, eating fish and seafood is a little bit scary in today’s toxic world. Research has shown that mercury and PCBs can lead to mental impairment in adults, and can be particularly dangerous when ingested by pregnant women and small children.
My recommendation is to limit your intake of the mercury-laden fish – such as swordfish, king mackerel, shark, tilefish, and albacore tuna – and instead take advantage of the many types of fish and seafood that are high in
Omega-3 but low in mercury or PCBs – Atlantic and Spanish mackerel, wild Pacific salmon, herring, anchovies and sardines.
For more information, visit the Environmental
Protection Agency's website here for recent information on which fish are high in mercury levels, and which are low. You can also visit this brilliant web site, home of the Environmental Working Group, which provides
you with a tuna calculator to determine safe limits.
To see what Omega-3 supplements I recommend, containing wild, pure and strictly tested fish oils,
click here.
Nuts
Solid scientific research now shows that nuts
– walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and peanuts
– are nutritional superstars. Nuts have high levels of good mono
– and polyunsaturated fats, heart-healthy compounds called sterols, anti-inflammatory components and vitamin E. Nuts also pack a potent antioxidant punch.
Purple/Deep Red Foods
Foods that contain purple-colored pigments called anthocyanins are now being recognized as extra special when it comes to the protection of our blood vessels and our nerve cells. Examples of foods high in anthocyanins include blueberries, bilberries (European blueberries), blackberries, dark cherries, purple carrots, pomegranate, acai, purple sweet potatoes, purple cauliflower, black grapes and beets.
The purple pigments found in these foods offer significant antioxidant protection, enhance signaling between nerve cells, protect the blood-brain barrier, strengthen blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, and exert a significant anti-inflammatory effect capable of reducing pain.
Sambazon sells the purple fruit acai in smoothies as well as frozen acai: Learn more at www.sambazon.com.
Green Foods
Green foods contain a precious mineral -- magnesium -- that is worth its weight in nutritional gold. Magnesium makes up an important part of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Found in nature’s greens, magnesium can quench the flames of inflammation in both the heart and the brain.
To see what green food supplements I recommend for their research-proven blend of phytonutrients,
click here.
Turmeric
This is the yellow powder found in curry, and in a number of experimental studies it has been shown to have significant neuroprotective and mood-enhancing properties. Part of the reason for this might be the fact that turmeric contains curcumin. Curcumin is an absolutely brilliant plant antioxidant and has significant anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger
Ginger has significant anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Gingerol, one of the many active chemicals found in ginger, has been shown to specifically inhibit inflammatory chemicals of neuropsychiatric significance. In addition, research has shown that ginger can influence the manufacture of inflammatory brain chemicals at the genetic level, and that it protects the fat components of the nerve walls against free radical attack.
Green Tea
Research shows that regular consumption of green tea has multiple health benefits. Green tea contains a blend of phytochemicals called catechins, which are potent antioxidants with significant anti-inflammatory properties. It inhibits the growth of potentially harmful bacterial while promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. Learn more at:
www.kenkonutrition.com
Fish are a great source of Omega-3, and research is strong on the benefits of fish and seafood consumption. In fact, oily ocean fish are the most potent anti-inflammatory food you can put into your body.
Solid scientific research now shows that nuts
– walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and peanuts
– are nutritional superstars. Nuts have high levels of good mono
– and polyunsaturated fats, heart-healthy compounds called sterols, anti-inflammatory components and vitamin E. Nuts also pack a potent antioxidant punch.
Foods that contain purple-colored pigments called anthocyanins are now being recognized as extra special when it comes to the protection of our blood vessels and our nerve cells. Examples of foods high in anthocyanins include blueberries, bilberries (European blueberries), blackberries, dark cherries, purple carrots, pomegranate, acai, purple sweet potatoes, purple cauliflower, black grapes and beets.
Green foods contain a precious mineral -- magnesium -- that is worth its weight in nutritional gold. Magnesium makes up an important part of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Found in nature’s greens, magnesium can quench the flames of inflammation in both the heart and the brain.
This is the yellow powder found in curry, and in a number of experimental studies it has been shown to have significant neuroprotective and mood-enhancing properties. Part of the reason for this might be the fact that turmeric contains curcumin. Curcumin is an absolutely brilliant plant antioxidant and has significant anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger has significant anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Gingerol, one of the many active chemicals found in ginger, has been shown to specifically inhibit inflammatory chemicals of neuropsychiatric significance. In addition, research has shown that ginger can influence the manufacture of inflammatory brain chemicals at the genetic level, and that it protects the fat components of the nerve walls against free radical attack.
Research shows that regular consumption of green tea has multiple health benefits. Green tea contains a blend of phytochemicals called catechins, which are potent antioxidants with significant anti-inflammatory properties. It inhibits the growth of potentially harmful bacterial while promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. Learn more at:
