8 Top Foods For Brain Health

Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. The brain requires nutrients just like your heart, lungs or muscles.

Your daily diet has a powerful impact on your mental health.

I rounded up 8 foods that support your brain function and mood.

You’ll notice that this list has recurring themes: whole foods high in healthy fats and antioxidants. Fill your meals with these kinds of health-promoting foods to keep your brain healthy and happy.

1. Salmon

Heart-healthy salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are powerful supporters of brain function. More specifically, omega-3s encourage the release of feel-good serotonin from the brain.

Eat fatty fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel at least once a week to support good omega-3 levels.

2. Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is surprisingly high in antioxidants, daily ingestion of a small amount of dark chocolate can help reduce stress hormones.

A few squares of high quality, low sugar dark chocolate a day can give you your chocolate fix and keep your mood sky high.

3. Liver

Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet! It’s packed with all the B vitamins (vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, folic acid and biotin), iron, zinc, copper and much more. All those nutrients are important for brain function and mood support.

4. Spinach (and other green leafy veggies)

Green leafy veggies like spinach, pumpkin and kale are great sources of folate, a B vitamin that helps produce mood-regulating neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine) that support your ability to beat back stress and sadness.

5. Green Tea

Experts confirmed that people who drank roughly four cups of green tea a day were half as likely to experience sad moods as people who didn’t drink any green tea.

The amino acid L-Theanine, abundant in green tea is a mood booster.

6. Turmeric

Curcumin, the active component found in turmeric is a powerful antioxidant that acts as a mental booster.

7. Avocado

Avocados is an excellent source of healthy fats and a slew of vitamins and minerals (B vitamins, glutathione and lutein, to name a few).

B vitamins are crucial to brain function and mood regulation, so meeting your daily recommended intake can produce good vibes.

8. Walnuts

A handful of walnuts can help put a smile on your face! Walnuts are loaded with antioxidants, omega-3s and magnesium.

Magnesium is one of the top mineral deficiencies across the globe, and it is important for bone health, cognitive health, cardiovascular health and more. Snacking on some walnuts definitely doesn’t hurt.