Review of the most harmful foods for the human brain — Top 7

Doctors assure that there are a number of products that have an extremely negative effect on the brain. If you constantly eat these foods, it will accelerate the aging process of brain cells and slow down the regeneration of neurons.

Steven Viterli is a scientist who has devoted over 20 years of his life to how food affects the brain. He also compiled a list of the most harmful products for the nervous system that kill healthy human brain cells. We will talk about these products in the article.

Also, according to research , for the normal functioning of the nervous system and brain, a person needs vitamins, minerals and animal fats. All these substances are contained in certain useful products, which we will also talk about in the article.

Top 7 Foods to Avoid

We present to your attention a list of the most harmful foods. You should not completely abandon these products, but you should still limit the amount in the diet.

1. Salt

Salt is a source of sodium, which participates in water-salt metabolism in the body. However, if it accumulates in excess, it begins to act as a toxin.

The main effect of high sodium concentration in the body – this is a delayed sensitivity to nerve impulses. At the same time, unconditional reflexes suffer first of all.

Also salt is harmful to blood vessels , because it significantly increases the likelihood of stroke, as it leads to thinning of the walls of blood vessels that permeate the brain.

2. Sugar

Eating sweets too often causes so-called "sugar addiction".

At the same time, the brain practically does not respond to an increase in serotonin concentration is a hormone that is responsible for the feeling of joy.

Accordingly, if you often consume carbohydrate-rich foods, then it is very likely will cause prolonged depression or attention deficit disorder (especially common in children and precisely because of sweets). Learn more about the effects of sugar on the brain see a separate article.

3. Fatty meat

Is a source of animal fats rich in cholesterol. This substance leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels of the brain, thereby increasing the risk of stroke .

Accordingly, fatty pork, as well as various kinds of sausages, should still be abandoned, giving preference to chicken breast or beef tenderloin – they contain minimal animal fat, so no harm to the brain occurs.

4. Alcohol

Ethyl alcohol, which is the main alcoholic beverage, is one of the most dangerous toxins that gradually kills nerve cells and significantly slows down the process of their recovery.

Moreover, this effect occurs when the blood alcohol level is 0.1 ppm, which corresponds to 0.25 liters of light beer. That is, even a small amount of alcohol will definitely negatively affect the work of the brain.

5. Crackers and chips

They contain a huge amount of trans fats, which are even more dangerous than animal fats.

Also increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis, and at the same time can provoke the formation of malignant tumors of the brain.

This is facilitated by the so-called "free radicals" &8212; molecules with a disrupted atomic component, which are carcinogens. There are a huge number of such molecules in trans fats.

6. Tuna

Oddly enough, but this fish contains a large amount of mercury, which destroys nerve cells , and at critical concentration, it disrupts the transmission of impulses to the sinus node, which causes a heart attack.

Naturally, this is relevant only if a person regularly consumes tuna (and in Japan it is commonplace – this fish is used to make "sushi").

7. Chocolate

Steven Viterli included chocolate in this list for the reason that manufacturers add trans fats to its composition, and also – excessive amount of sugar (which does not correspond to the original recipe).

But the dark type of chocolate is spared from such disadvantages. Dark chocolate is even good for the brain.

White and milk chocolate should still be discarded. They are especially dangerous for preschool children.

Why do we want something harmful so much?

Why does the brain "ask" for junk food? The main reason for this is – widespread use of food flavoring additives, such as monosodium glutamate .

They do not carry any nutritional value for the human body, but they act irritatingly on the taste buds, creating an imitation of excellent taste. Initially, they were discovered only at the beginning of the 20th century, but at the moment about 200 thousand tons of the same monosodium glutamate are consumed annually.

But fatty meat, sweet yoghurts, pastries – all this is perceived by the body as a balanced source of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, which also plays an important role in provoking the desire to eat a dish. And this is quite actively used by large manufacturers of ready-made semi-finished products, focusing not on the need of the buyer, but on the physiology of the brain. And that's why homemade yogurts, cakes – all this is considered by many to be less tasty.

What should be included in your diet?

Which food is the most beneficial for the nervous system and brain? Nutritionists identify the following foods that are recommended to be consumed as often as possible:

1. Ginger . The root of this plant contains a whole range of essential oils that purify blood vessels, and also accelerate the recovery of nerve cells.
2. Lemon . It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which is necessary for the breakdown of "harmful" cholesterol.
3. Garlic . Contains both essential oils and vitamin C. Regular consumption of garlic also reduces the likelihood of developing chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system (which will necessarily affect the functioning of the nervous system).
4. Fish . Its fatty varieties are rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, which are involved in almost all physiological processes of the brain (in particular, for the division of nerve cells).
5. Honey . Its key benefit is the normalization of the biochemical composition of the blood. It also contains "rare" nutrients, including zinc, copper, cobalt – they are necessary for the normal transmission of impulses, and are also responsible for sensitivity to neurotransmitters.
6. Coffee . Caffeine helps to normalize blood pressure, and also has an exciting effect on brain cells. But if you abuse coffee drinks, it will only do harm – the risk of hypertension will increase.
7. Seaweed. They contain selenium, which regulates the production of certain groups of hormones that affect a person's mood. Marine mollusks and rice should also be included in this category – they also contain selenium in high concentrations.

Also see the infographic:

Interesting video

For a detailed introduction to the topic, we recommend watching the video:

In total, you should not completely abandon harmful products – it will only harm. It is much more correct to make a diet where the advantage will be given to cereals, vegetables, fruits, lean meat. All this will have a positive effect not only on the nervous system, but also on the work of the heart, liver, and kidneys.