Eating to Give Your Brain a Boost

Foods aren't just fuel for your body. True, they provide the energy you need, yet some have benefits that go well beyond simple nourishment.

Explore the recesses of your refrigerator and you may find foods that science is, increasingly, crediting with being especially supportive for brain health. These edibles may improve memory, clarify thinking, delay cognitive decline, and perhaps even ward off Alzheimer's disease.

Recent research shows that you may want to include the following on your shopping list more often for brain-strengthening nourishment:

• Apple juice and pomegranate juice
• Red grapes, cherries, apples, blueberries and strawberries
• Tea and cocoa
• Salmon and light tuna
• Soy foods
• Sunflower seeds, walnuts
• Vegetables, especially leafy greens
• Olive oil
• Dark chocolate

When buying processed or packaged foods containing these ingredients, be sure to read the nutrition labels carefully. Some of these "good" foods may be prepared with high amounts of sugar, fat or salt added to them, resulting in too many calories or too much sodium in your diet. For healthful eating, choose fresh versions of these foods most often, or prepare them with low-fat ingredients. Eat processed types in moderation.

For example, you can still get the benefits of pomegranate juice (which has sugar added to offset its tart flavor) by mixing one or two ounces into sparkling water as a spritzer. Cocoa made with nonfat milk or a milk alternative (such as almond or rice milks) gives your brain a boost without adding extra fat. And letting a small piece of dark chocolate melt slowly in your mouth prolongs your enjoyment while keeping your daily intake healthful (one ounce or less).

For brain health as well as overall health, be sure to avoid foods containing saturated fats or trans fats (check those nutrition labels!). Diets that are high in such fats are specifically related to declining brain capabilities.

For more on warding off Alzheimer's, click here.