Food for your brain
Just like your heart, your brain also requires a steady supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients so it functions at its best. When plaque builds up in the arteries, it can interfere with blood flow, leading to a stroke or heart attack.
Anything that impedes blood flow is bad for your heart – and your brain. It’s no surprise then that heart-smart foods – the ones that reduce plaque buildup and harmful oxidation – are the very same foods that are good for the brain. From whole grains to vegetables to fish, the nourishing foods that ward off heart disease can also reduce the risk of stroke.
Whole grains help fuel your brain. Learn easy prep techniques and recipes in these short videos. Watch now.
And that’s not the only brain-boosting benefit of eating well. A healthy diet may reduce the cognitive decline that comes with aging, and reduce your chances of developing brain-related diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Include these foods in your diet for optimum brain and heart health:
Fish, especially salmon, rainbow trout, sardines and mackerel, are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, which can help prevent blood clotting, reducing the risk of stroke. Omega-3 fat also helps lower triglycerides, a type of blood fat that’s linked to heart disease. Include at least two 75-gram servings of fish in your diet each week.
Green vegetables such as kale, collards, chard, spinach and broccoli are linked to heart health because of their powerful combination of disease-fighting fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. More recently, they have been linked to brain health too. A long-term study from Harvard showed that women who ate the most cruciferous (broccoli, cabbage) and green leafy vegetables showed less cognitive decline than women who ate fewer of these veggies, and also scored better on tests measuring general cognition and memory. Include at least a ½ cup of green vegetables in your diet every day. Try this Hearty kale soy soup.
Whole grains such as oatmeal, barley, whole wheat and quinoa are rich in good carbohydrates, which provide energy to fuel the brain. At least half of your daily grain servings should be whole grains. Oats and barley contain soluble fibre, a powerful cholesterol fighter. It soaks up cholesterol and prevents plaque from forming in the arteries. Clear arteries help ensure blood flows well and may help reduce the risk of developing stroke and dementia. Enjoy whole wheat in Confetti vegetable and bean tortilla stack.
Nuts such as pecans, walnuts and almonds are a good source of vitamin E, which promotes a healthy circulatory system to help the body carry oxygen to the brain. It also acts as an antioxidant to protect heart and brain cells from molecular damage.
Richly hued red, purple and blue fruits, such as blueberries, blackberries, cherries and grapes, are rich in an antioxidant called anthocyanin. As an antioxidant, anthocyanin helps reduce oxidation and free radical damage to brain cells. Plus, anthocyanins may help ward off neurological diseases and are associated with better memory and information retention. Include at least a ½ cup serving of these fruits in your daily diet.
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© – Reproduced with permission of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2012
