Did you know that your brain is 60% fat? Too often, when people think about nutrition, it is about building muscle or losing weight. But what you eat can affect more than the size and shape of your body. It can influence the health of your brain. Learning about key brain nutrients can help keep your brain working at its best.
Fat and Your Brain
60% of your brain is fat and much of that fat is a special omega-3 called DHA. DHA forms a jacket around your nerves and helps electrical messages from your brain stay targeted. This is why DHA is important in helping to maintain normal brain function.
You will find DHA in oil rich fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, fresh or tinned.
Carbs and Your Brain
Your brain uses 20% of your daily calories even though it is only about 2% of your body weight. Your brain needs fuel to function and carbohydrate, especially glucose, is its favourite energy source.
Your brain can use ketones, which you may have heard about in relation to ketogenic diets, but it still needs to get at least 50% of its energy from glucose. Even if you fast or follow a keto diet, your body will make glucose from amino acids to keep your brain fuelled.
Including carbohydrate rich foods throughout the day can help keep your brain well fed. Choose high fibre carbohydrates like brown rice, wholegrain bread, jacket potatoes, high fibre breakfast cereals, oats and pasta.
B Vitamins and Mental Performance
B vitamins have many roles in supporting your nervous system, psychological health and how your brain metabolises nutrients.
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) is important for normal mental performance. You will find it in salmon, chicken, avocado and mushrooms.
Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy nerves and normal psychological function. Find B12 in yoghurt, milk, eggs, fish and beef.
Vitamin B6 helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue. Bananas are a good source, and you will also find B6 in chickpeas, salmon and beef.
Check Your Iron
Being low in iron can affect your mood as well as how your brain functions. Symptoms of anaemia, which means low iron, can include:
Symptoms of Low Iron
Always speak to your GP if concerned.
- Weakness
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Increased heart rate or palpitations
- Pale appearance
- Low mood or depression
- Shortness of breath or getting out of breath easily
These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, so always see your doctor, especially before taking iron supplements.
Low iron is quite common in Ireland and you can feel tired even before full anaemia develops. Try to include iron rich foods at two to three meals each day. These include:
- Red meat and liver
- Chicken legs
- Breakfast cereals fortified with iron
- Nuts and seeds such as almonds and pumpkin seeds
- Spinach and kale
- Barley and lentils
- Eggs
- Shellfish such as mussels and cockles
And Sleep
No brain works well without sleep. While you cannot always control how much sleep you get, many people miss out on sleep without realising it.
Aim to be in bed for at least eight hours. Most adults need around eight hours of sleep each night. If you need to get up at 6am, aim to be in bed by 10pm. Even going to bed thirty minutes earlier each night can make a noticeable difference after a few weeks.