Five Everyday Foods For Brain Power

You are on the wrong side of 60 and your brain isn’t what it used to be. Is there something that can sharpen your thinking and memory? You hesitate to ask your doctor. May be, it’s just everyday stress and strains. May be, s/he will put you on some new age smart drugs. The lack of long-term data and the newness of it turn you off.

Brain research linked to food, however, is exploding. With MRI imaging of the brain, new studies on the brain's biological mechanisms now show: what you eat can have a big impact on the structure and health of your brain. And this may be enhanced by some foods, or natural “cognitive enhancers.”

Way back in 2008, scientists advocated the goodness of Omega 3 as a brain booster, in addition to helping protect us from heart disease and cancer. Then came walnuts, berries and purple grape juice—all superfood for the ageing brain. By 2017, extra-virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean Diet were being linked to better brain function in older adults.

Recently, science has started to back what Indians have known for long: the goodness of turmeric for the brain. Turmeric contains curcumin, a bioactive chemical with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, especially when taken with black pepper.

Here’s a range of familiar foods that may just be what you are looking for.