16 Brain Foods You Should Eat To Boost Productivity
By Vivian Giang and Aimee Groth From Business Insider
The ingredients you eat enter your blood stream and flow to the brain, so inevitably, the way you think, focus and work is literally the food you eat.
But you can increase this brain power by 20%, according to the World Health Organization.
“Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain,” Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science, says in his research about brain foods.
“Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging.”
To get an understanding of what’s going to affect our body’s energy system, we compiled a list of brain foods from Psychology Today and other sources that will improve the way you think and work.
1. Berries have potent combinations of antioxidants that improve both memory and motor coordination.
Neuroscientist James A. Joseph says that the antioxidants in berries counteract oxidative stress and function as anti-inflammatory agents, which are “the evil twins of brain aging.”
2. Berries eaten with oil-rich walnuts or avocados keep brain cell membranes “youthfully flexible.”
3. A banana holds the daily amount of glucose needed for your brain.
Researcher Leigh Gibson found that “the brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose circulating in the blood stream — about the amount found in a banana.”
4. Eggs contain a fat-like B vitamin called choline that enhances memory and reaction time
5. Salmon has omega-3s, protein, iron and B-vitamins, which support memory, recall, reasoning and focus.
6. Eating eggplant will keep your brain “sharp by enhancing communication between our brain cells and messenger molecules.”
7. Caffeine found in coffee improves memory and even “protects against eyelid spasm” (for those who are staring at computers all day). It’s also rich with antioxidants and amino acids.
8. Dark chocolate contains antioxidant properties that “increase the 
production of endorphins while enhancing focus and concentration,” whereas milk chocolate is good for quickening reaction time and improving verbal and visual memory.
9. Or, try green tea, which has neuroprotective effects (helps the nervous system).
10. Yogurt also does wonders — it has protein, tons of minerals, and probiotics which help the digestive system.
11. Dark leafy greens are probably the best thing you could eat. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Iron, for example, helps bring more oxygen to the body (and brain), and improves cognitive control.
12. Raw carrots will give you a steady level of blood sugar your brain needs to function optimally.
13. While we don’t suggest drinking on the job, red wine significantly improves short-term memory and motor skills.
14. Whole grains like brown rice are filled with vitamins and magnesium, which also improves cognitive health.
15. The antioxidants in hot cocoa protect brain cells from oxidative stress.
16. Garlic contains strong antibacterial and antiviral compounds that help shake off stress-induced colds and infections.
BONUS: Eating this will slow down your productivity…
1. Sugary foods, like soda or candy, can make you feel spaced-out, weak, confused, or nervous once the glucose in your brain drops — this is also known as a sugar crash.
2. Heavy, calorie-ridden foods like hamburgers and fries will make you sleepy and slow you down at work.
3. Eating too little can make you process information more slowly, take longer to react and have more trouble remembering sequences.
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