Which foods improve concentration and brain function — Top 5 most useful

All human interaction with the world depends on the ability to concentrate attention. Mindfulness affects both mental productivity and physical safety.

Research confirms that nutrition directly affects the ability to concentrate, memory, and other brain functions.

Other studies indicate that some Brain-damaging foods can worsen the condition of people with attention deficit disorder.

To be more attentive, you need to adhere to proper nutrition and a special diet, as well as use all the resources of nature that can help the brain work. First of all, food should prevail in the diet, useful for blood vessels Brain: these are natural plant foods, seafood, lean meat and dairy products.

For good mental activity, you also need to consume Brain-healthy drinks , which do not contain refined sugar, but have in their composition all the substances necessary for concentration.

The nutrition tips given in this article will be useful for both adults and children.

How does nutrition affect brain function?

The quality of brain function and, in particular, such a criterion as concentration of attention depends on everything that a person eats and drinks throughout his life. The mechanism of this influence is as follows:

1. All food entering the digestive tract is broken down. First, under the influence of gastric juice, then, in the small intestine, it decomposes into proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which, together with vitamins, minerals, organic acids and other useful substances, are absorbed through the intestinal walls and enter the bloodstream.
2. Further, useful substances are supplied through the circulatory system to organs, including the brain.

If the blood has everything necessary for the full functioning of the brain, a person gets less tired, is in a good mood, and his Memory and attention work without interruption.

If food is poor in the elements necessary for the brain, then both memory and the head as a whole do not work well. In addition, harmful substances clog blood vessels and make it difficult for blood containing oxygen and nutrition to reach brain cells. As a result, the brain begins to perform cognitive functions even worse.

Top 5 products for Mental activity

There are a huge number of products that increase attention very well. The main condition: they should be on the table every day at least a little bit.

1. Oily sea fish, seafood

Fatty foods are dangerous for brain activity. But this does not apply to marine fish: fish oil, on the contrary, contains unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are a real salvation for the brain. They are responsible for the nutrition of cells and purity of vessels , through which blood flows to this organ.

Also note that the fish is &8212; one of the 15 Memory-enhancing foods .

Sea fish is useful because:

• Omega-3 the composition of her fat helps to always be at the peak of efficiency and productivity. Learn more about the effect of omega-3 acids on the brain see in a separate article.
• Unsaturated fatty acids keep the brain young despite biological age.

Sea fish and seafood are healthy:

1. For those who are engaged in intellectual activity , whose work is associated with the need for increased attention and quick reactions.
2. For the younger generation , who needs to be able to concentrate his attention for a long time in the process of learning, assimilation of information.
3. In the menu of elderly people, when the amount of animal fats from meat and dairy products should be significantly reduced (this is due to the danger of an overabundance of cholesterol), but the benefits of fatty acids significantly exceed the danger from ingestion of cholesterol from marine fish.

Therefore, in the menu of those who appreciate the quality of attention and the ability to concentrate, it should be in the diet at least twice a week.

2. Leafy vegetables and any greens

Some people unjustifiably consider greens to be some kind of secondary product in the diet, something like a flavoring additive. While dill, coriander, parsley, green onions, arugula, spinach, lettuce include something without which mental work is simply impossible:

1. A huge amount of minerals;
2. Vitamins C, B groups;
3. Folic acid.

B vitamins and folic acid are especially important for the ability to concentrate. Food culture dictates the daily use of all kinds of herbs in salads, side dishes and first courses, where greens should be added immediately before the end of cooking.

3. Unrefined vegetable oils

Olive, sunflower, corn, sesame, walnut, rapeseed, pumpkin and other unrefined direct pressed oils are valuable in the same way as fish: they contain a huge amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

First of all, vegetable oil is much more useful for mental activity than butter: it does not contain cholesterol at all, which can be deposited on the walls of blood vessels and thereby disrupt the functionality of cells responsible for attention and memory.

Secondly, unsaturated fatty acids, combined with vitamins and minerals, nourish the brain and ensure its proper functioning.

Vegetable oil can be used to fill salads, or you can use oil on an empty stomach as a preventive measure.

4. Nuts and seeds

Sunflower seeds, pumpkin, flax, walnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews &8212; it is a concentrate of vitamins, useful vegetable oils and minerals.

Among the useful substances in nuts there are:

1. Vitamins E and B;
2. A large number of minerals;
3. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids;
4. Vegetable proteins.

In addition, nuts and seeds contribute to the rejuvenation of brain cells , which means the improvement of all its functions, including cognitive ones. Also nuts strengthen memory .

A handful of nuts is a great snack for those who do mental work. You can't just go over their amount, because they are very high in calories. It is also necessary to remember that not all seeds are well absorbed in their entirety: for example, flaxseed must be ground for effective assimilation.

5. Coffee

Caffeine is the main active ingredient of coffee, one of the of the most effective stimulants . Once in the blood, caffeine inhibits the action of the neurotransmitter adenosine, which accumulates in the body.

And at the same time drinking coffee stimulates the production of hormones such as norepinephrine and dopamine .

It not only improves mood, but also activates all neuropsychiatric processes, helps to fight drowsiness, fatigue and tiredness, as well as to be more focused and collected. Besides, with caffeine, information is better remembered , increases reaction speed and endurance.

Also check out the infographic:

And now let's talk about folk remedies.

Useful Herbs

In addition to food, to improve brain activity and sharpen attention, you can use the resources of those herbs from which teas and medicinal decoctions are usually prepared.

1. Ginkgo biloba. This plant is recognized as a good energizer. It tones up, sharpens attention, helps to concentrate better on mental work and perform precise physical actions.
2. Rosemary. It is known not only as an aromatic spice, but also as a plant that supports the health of the cerebral vessels and ensures the smooth functioning of the brain. Rosemary also reduces cortisol levels, normalizes the neuropsychiatric state, helps to combat distraction and attention deficit disorder.
3. Ginseng. The high content of vitamins and rare minerals make ginseng one of the most powerful brain stimulants. Memory, reaction speed, and attention improve even if you drink their ginseng tea once a day.
4. Horsetail. Silicon dioxide, minerals, rare metal salts and vitamins improve the condition of brain vessels, stimulate the blood circulation of the brain . Memory improves, attention increases if you take an infusion of a teaspoon of horsetail, brewed with a glass of boiling water, regularly and for a long time.
5. Eleutherococcus prickly. This herb is known primarily as an adaptogen. But it is also known as a means of balancing the neuropsychic state, improving memory and increasing the ability to concentrate.

What should be avoided?

Proper and healthy nutrition for the brain is a great help for memory and attention. But for full-fledged brain activity, you also need to give up harmful products.

1. Alcohol. This is the biggest enemy for memory and attention. Ethanol kills brain cells with every extra sip of strong drinks. Alcohol consumption is strictly unacceptable when working, which requires concentration.
2. Fatty meat and dairy products. Excess cholesterol is not absorbed by the body, but is deposited on the walls of the cerebral vessels, interfering with normal blood circulation, and therefore inhibiting cognitive functions.
3. Semi-finished products, fast food, snacks. These foods contain a lot of salt, trans fats and harmful food additives. All that clogs blood vessels and impairs the elasticity of their walls.
4. Sweets containing refined sugar, ready-made curds, cheeses, muffins. Such delicacies have no advantages other than taste. But their use leads to obesity and poor supply of useful substances to the brain.

Interesting video

And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:

The ability to be attentive can be trained and helped to form it with the help of proper nutrition. Products that enhance cognitive functions should always be on the table.