Features of the diet for people engaged in mental work and the 10 most useful foods

People who are constantly engaged in intellectual work know well how valuable excellent memory, quick wits and generally a fresh head are.

It is quite possible for everyone to increase productivity if they follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle and, first of all, a healthy diet, since the link between the effectiveness of mental work and the quality of food proven by scientific research .

In this article, we will talk about the general features of nutrition for people engaged in daily mental work, as well as give a list of the 10 most useful products for such people.

What to eat with mental stress — 4 general principles

A decent return on intellectual work can be obtained only by constantly taking care of the main thinking organ. The diet should include Brain-healthy foods and be kept to a minimum everything is harmful . Therefore, employees should follow the following basic rules:

1. Freshness and naturalness of food. The brain is the most sensitive organ of the human body. He needs only the most natural and fresh food. Semi-finished products and products with a large number of ingredients should give way to simple and healthy food that is not prepared in industrial conditions. See in a separate article 7 fruits and vegetables for memory and attention .
2. The predominance of plant foods. Three quarters of the diet should be made up of plant products, since they receive nutrients from soil and water, bypassing additional steps, unlike products containing animal proteins. Preference should be given to vegetables, whole grains, greens, fruits and seeds. This food is the easiest to digest and provides the most energy.
3. Lean meat and dairy products with a low percentage of fat content. Of animal proteins, the advantage is in low-fat white meat, low-fat poultry and low-fat dairy products. They give a lot of energy under mental stress, but do not clog blood vessels with cholesterol.
4. No alcohol. Drinking alcohol can create the illusion of getting extra energy. But in general, it significantly reduces the productivity of the brain, whose cells are killed by ethanol brought to the brain by blood flow.

10 important foods in the diet

There are a huge number of healthy foods that protect the brain from overloads, stimulate cerebral circulation and maintain high performance. Each of them should be in the diet regularly.

1. Sea fish and seafood. Fatty marine fish, shrimp, squid, mussels, kelp &8212; all this is a building material for brain cells, and its nutrition, and protection of cerebral vessels . Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, iodine &8212; this is the main thing that is contained in seafood, and what the brain cannot function properly without. More detailed about the effect of fish oil on the brain see a separate article.
2. Eggs. The danger of eggs as a source of cholesterol is greatly exaggerated: for an adult, child or teenager, 1-2 chicken eggs are necessary for the supply of vitamins, protein and lecithin to the body, which is so necessary for mental activity and for increased performance . Quail eggs are a dietary product useful for people of any age.
3. Unrefined vegetable oils. Direct, preferably cold, pressed oils help to maintain the normal state of the bloodstream, which means that the brain is nourished and supplied with oxygen. In addition, the brain is 70% fat, so unrefined vegetable oils rich in omega-3 and omega-6 vitamins and minerals are vital for those who work intellectually.
4. Green leafy vegetables and any greens. Spinach, dill, parsley, coriander, arugula, lettuce not only Strengthen memory , make a person more collected and attentive, but also stimulate cognitive activity, awaken intellectual powers.
5. Legumes. It is not only a supplier of vegetable protein to the body, but also a good brain stimulator. For example, lentils are well digested and contain amino acids that stimulate the entire biochemistry of the brain, increasing the ability and clarity of thinking.
6. Nuts. They also contain unsaturated omega-3, omega-6 and even omega-9 fatty acids, which provides protection against atherosclerosis, youth and high ability to work. Eating nuts gives a lot of energy, including to the thinking organ, helps to concentrate attention and memorize a lot of information.
7. Fruits, vegetables and berries. Without them, the diet of a person engaged in mental labor is incomplete. For example, tomatoes contain melatonin, which prevents the brain from getting tired and aging, and lycopene, which even protects against the development of senile dementia. And apples and black currants help to keep your mind clear and improve your memory.
8. Bitter chocolate. Cocoa beans, of which 95% is bitter and 75% is dark chocolate, &8212; one of the best Brain Activity Stimulants . The flavonoids contained in cocoa beans stimulate attention, improve memory, help to react quickly and assimilate information.
9. Coffee. Caffeine blocks adenosine , at the same time stimulating hormones responsible for cheerfulness and good mood. During a normal day, a cup of coffee is enough to be at the peak of mental activity for half the day.
10. Spices. Cinnamon, black and cayenne pepper, ginger, turmeric, basil, nutmeg, garlic stimulate blood circulation, the production of hormones of good mood and sharpen thinking.

Sample menu for the week

Knowing about the beneficial properties of a large number of products for mental activity, you can make a complete and very diverse one in advance menu for the brain . If there are no contraindications related to the state of health for a person engaged in mental work, then you can eat delicious and healthy dishes every day. Here is an example of a weekly menu.

Monday

1. Breakfast: millet porridge with milk and dried fruits, fresh pears, black tea with milk and honey.
2. Lunch: Cabbage soup in meat broth with beef meatballs, salad of fresh cabbage and carrots with dill and parsley, seasoned with unrefined mustard oil, compote of apples.
3. Dinner: Cottage cheese casserole with strawberry mousse, cranberry jelly.

Tuesday

1. Breakfast: soft-boiled egg, wholegrain bread with butter and herbs, fresh apple, coffee with milk.
2. Lunch: Borscht with turkey, salad of fresh cucumbers, radishes and tomatoes, seasoned with unrefined sunflower oil, buckwheat with baked veal cutlet, lingonberry juice.
3. Dinner: stewed vegetable stew of zucchini, carrots, cabbage and red beans, oatmeal cookies with cereals, milk.

Wednesday

1. Breakfast: fruit salad of orange, apple, pear, banana, with the addition of lemon juice and sunflower seeds and pumpkin, whole grain bread, anointed with hummus, green tea with honey.
2. Lunch: Lentil soup with vegetables, baked eggplant with garlic and tomatoes, mackerel baked in foil with ginger, dried fruit compote.
3. Dinner: pumpkin baked with apples, honey, nuts and lemon, sea buckthorn jelly.

Thursday

1. Breakfast: omelet with green string beans, whole grain bread, anointed with butter and herbs, cocoa with milk.
2. Lunch: chicken soup with noodles, arugula salad, Chinese cabbage and green peas, seasoned with unrefined nut butter, with flaxseed, brown rice with tomato sauce, beef meatballs, freshly squeezed citrus juice.
3. Dinner: trout stewed with vegetables, pea puree with unrefined butter and garlic, lemon balm tea with honey.

Friday

1. Breakfast: wheat porridge with raisins, coffee bread with cinnamon and honey.
2. Lunch: mushroom soup, salad of boiled beetroot, walnuts, garlic and olive oil, pasta with seafood cocktail, berry compote.
3. Dinner: Fish cutlets, salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and green onions, rosehip broth with honey.

Saturday

1. Breakfast: oatmeal porridge with banana and cinnamon, homemade yogurt, whole grain bread with butter, mate tea with honey.
2. Lunch: kharcho soup with beef, salad of Adyghe cheese, lettuce, olives and tomatoes, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice, potatoes baked with turkey breast, compote of fresh or frozen cherries.
3. Dinner: cabbage cutlets with sour cream, ivan tea with honey and dried fruits.

Sunday

1. Breakfast: cheesecakes with cream sauce, fresh or frozen strawberries, whole grain bread, coffee with milk.
2. Lunch: soup with vegetables and meatballs, cabbage rolls with beef, salad with arugula, spinach and nuts, seasoned with citrus juice and pumpkin oil.
3. Dinner: turkey hedgehogs, curdled milk with blueberries and honey.

Other lifestyle recommendations

In addition to proper nutrition, to preserve high productivity thinking a number of other rules must be followed. They will not only help with better intellectual work, but also improve well-being.

1. The correct mode of the day. It is compiled purely individually, depending on the psycho-physical characteristics of a person, his social life, etc. It is important to properly allocate work and rest time and, if possible, transfer intellectual work to daytime.
2. Sleep. To work well with your head, you need to get enough sleep, and regularly. You need to sleep about 7-9 hours a day. But the greater the mental stress, the more complete sleep is required.
3. Drinking regime. The brain is dependent on the amount of liquid consumed , because it is 90% water. During the day, nutritionists recommend drinking up to 2 liters of water. If mental work requires being at a computer, then this requirement becomes especially stringent, since in this case the load on the body increases significantly.

Useful video

We present to your attention a video on the topic:

Productive mental work requires adherence to the basics of a healthy lifestyle. And a rational, healthy diet that helps brain activity is a prerequisite for effective intellectual activity.