When it comes to choosing the right healthy foods for your brain, peanuts and peanut butter are a nutritious option: they can help with improving memory, cognitive function and concentration, they can give your mood a boost, and they can even support the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Polyphenols in Peanuts Make Them a Good Mood Food
Polyphenols, like the ones in peanuts, penetrate the area of the brain involved in learning and memory. These polyphenols increase blood flow to the brain, which improves cognition and has the potential to enhance mood, which may also help to reduce depression.
Research shows that the best brain foods are the same ones that protect your heart and blood vessels, including the following: Green, leafy vegetables. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene.
This 6-month trial in young, healthy adults found that daily consumption of roasted peanuts or peanut butter improved depression and anxiety scores and that peanut butter enhanced memory functions. This Study Summary was published on November 2 2021.
When it comes to choosing the right healthy foods for your brain, peanuts and peanut butter are a nutritious option: they can help with improving memory, cognitive function and concentration, they can give your mood a boost, and they can even support the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
For kids with ADHD — and all other kids, too — snacks should contain protein, which helps with memory and learning, Mangieri says. One classic idea: peanut butter (an excellent source of protein) on whole-wheat bread (for fiber).
Peanut Butter (Protein): Foods rich in protein are key to increasing attentiveness and focus. Assuming your child does not have a peanut allergy, peanut butter is a great kid-friendly source of protein.
White Bread and White Rice. Refined carbohydrates, even ones that don't taste super sweet, can spike your blood sugar. That's often followed by a crash, which can make you feel mentally foggy.
Calming Effects
Other times, anxiety may feel overwhelming and interfere with your daily life. Foods that relax you help during these periods. The carbohydrates and amino acids in peanut butter contribute to the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that provides calming effects.
“Grains and legumes, such as peas, peanut butter, chickpeas, and rice, are examples of healthy foods that may cause brain fog,” said Hanks. “These foods are seemingly healthy on paper — they are high in fibre and antioxidants and low in saturated fats.
Some of the common foods that can cause ADHD reactions include milk, chocolate, soy, wheat, eggs, beans, corn, tomatoes, grapes, and oranges. If you suspect a food sensitivity may be contributing to your child's ADHD symptoms, talk to your ADHD dietitian or doctor about trying an elimination diet.
Foods rich in protein — lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, soy, and low-fat dairy products — can have beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms. Protein-rich foods are used by the body to make neurotransmitters, the chemicals released by brain cells to communicate with each other.
It is OK to eat peanut butter every day, but in moderation. Do not eat more than 2 tablespoons, approximately 32 grams, a day. This protein-packed spread is made by blending roasted peanuts into a thick paste and contains various nutrients that promote good health.
Walnuts look like a brain. They are the best nuts to improve brain health and boost memory. Walnuts contain a high amount of DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid.
Foods naturally rich in magnesium may, therefore, help a person to feel calmer. Examples include leafy greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard. Other sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.
Eggs are loaded with choline, a type of B-vitamin that can enhance memory and cognition. It's a component of phosphatidylcholine, a critical part of cell membranes, especially brain cells. To incorporate eggs into your meals, try deviled eggs, but mash the yolks with avocado instead of mayonnaise.
Avocados
A source of healthful unsaturated fat, avocados may support the brain. Thus, by reducing high blood pressure, the unsaturated fats in avocados may lower the risk of cognitive decline.