7 Brain foods that will sharpen your focus and memory

Brain is the centre of all bodily functions. It is the epicentre and the most important organ that controls and coordinates the actions and reactions of the body. It makes you think, have feelings, store memories and of course, it is what that makes you human! So, it is important to keep your brain healthy as it directly affects the overall health of the body. Food plays an important role here. You are what you eat, so a wholesome diet lifestyle is essential in supporting a healthy lifestyle.

As the brain is involved in cognitive functions – Memory, Attention, Perception, Decision making. And these functions are involved during studies, focusing on brain health during examinations are utmost important. With exam stress getting on your nerves, it is important to keep your brain healthy as studying is an activity involving the brain and too much stress can hamper the brain and body health. Too much of stress affects your brain, making it release cortisol, the main stress hormone of the body. To combat stress, one must adapt healthy habits like exercising and good diet. In order to keep the brain functions at optimal level, one must include brain power foods in their diet to improve, memory, decision making ability, cognitive function, mood and mental response time.

Here we list 7 brain foods that must be included in your diet to help you achieve focus and good memory.

7 brain power foods to be included in your diet

• Fatty fish – One of the best brain food to include in your platter. As most of the human brain is made of fat and half of that fat is made of omega-3 fatty acids, including food that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids is necessary. Fatty fishes such as – Salmon, Sardine and Trout are some of the fishes rich in these fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are mainly used to build brain and nerve cells by the brain. They help in learning and memory. Inadequate omega-3 fatty acids in the brain lead to learning impairment.
• Blueberries – These deep blue coloured berries are packed with antioxidants that combats stress and inflammation. Some of these antioxidants accumulate in brain and help in effective communication between brain cells. Animal studies show that blueberries improve memory and may delay brain ageing.
• Coffee – A great news for coffee lovers! Coffee contains caffeine and antioxidants which has some positive effect on the brain. Caffeine increases alertness, improves mood and sharpens concentration, it may also offer protection against Alzheimer's. If you are a night owl then coffee is a boon for your overnight studies.
• Eggs – Who doesn’t love eggs? They are the superfood that is widely consumed in many forms! A storehouse of nutrients – Vitamin B6 and B12, folate and choline. Eggs help in proper functioning of brain and its development. It also helps in regulating the mood.
• Dark Chocolate – Ditch sugary sweet candies and embrace dark chocolates that are abundant in flavonoids, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. Research conducted on dark chocolates says that it is a mood booster. Flavonoids present in the chocolate may also enhance memory. Overall eating dark chocolates help in protecting brain health, boost memory and mood. All the good reasons to have a bite of chocolate, isn’t it
• Nuts & Whole grains – With brain boosting nutrients, healthy fats, and plant compounds, nuts are one of the healthiest foods to eat. A large study on a group of women showed that women who ate nuts regularly over the course of years had sharper memory than those who didn’t eat. Whole grains are rich in fibre which is necessary for overall health and including whole grains in the diet reduce the risk of memory damaging stroke, inflammation and oxidative stress. Include nuts, specially walnuts as it contains omega-3 fatty acids.
• Pumpkin seeds – Tiny but loaded with necessary micronutrients, pumpkin seeds houses powerful antioxidants that protect brain from free radical damage. Nutrients such as Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, and Iron are some of its main constituents that is important for brain health.

Not only these, but including lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, green leafy vegetables and other protein-rich food will aid in brain development, memory and concentration during studies.