It’s no secret that the brain needs to perform well in order to be productive and maintain focus, but what many people don’t realize is that diet can have a direct impact on your brainpower as well. In fact, some experts have even labelled our current dietary habits as brain-damaging because of the way they negatively affect thinking, memory, and recall capabilities in adults, not to mention children who haven’t reached full cognitive maturity yet.
Atkin
Low-Carb diets are gaining a lot of popularity lately, with Atkins being one of the leading brands. While these diets often result in fast weight loss, they’re not a sustainable solution for long-term weight maintenance. While low-carb dieting may help your brain perform better in short bursts (which is especially useful for test preparation), other aspects of brain function seem to suffer under these restrictive eating plans.
Paleo
This diet, which fuses modern nutritional science with historical hunter-gatherer practices, is widely credited for helping people lose weight and boost energy levels. While Paleo’s benefits are often overstated, it does indeed result in a number of health benefits for those who follow it properly. There are a number of factors that go into choosing any diet program, including taste preference and lifestyle considerations.
Ketogenic diet
A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to reset your body. For example, it can help you reduce or eliminate symptoms of epilepsy. On a keto diet, you eat lots of fatty foods along with small amounts of protein and carbohydrates.
Mediterranean diet
People who live in Mediterranean countries have one of the lowest risks of Alzheimer’s and other age-related mental decline. The primary reason may be their healthier diet—which is often rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are known to support brain health. Although it can be tough to completely overhaul your diet, experts say there are several simple ways you can make tweaks that may help keep your mind healthy for years to come.
Or maybe you should mix them?
Because both diets focus on increasing consumption of fresh, natural foods and limiting processed foods and added sugars, it stands to reason that combining them would help you reap maximum benefits from each. If you’re short on time or energy, one diet might be easier to follow than two—and incorporating one aspect of a diet into your current routine might make sticking with a single plan easier.
What about having a healthy way of eating?
When you eat healthy, your brain performs better and is able to focus on daily tasks without getting distracted by hunger pains. Your diet will have a huge impact on your ability to concentrate and improve your memory at work. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat and processed sugars so you can be more productive throughout your day. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water every day to stay hydrated and fight fatigue.
Keep in mind your personal needs
Your brain requires about 150 grams of glucose per day to function properly. Because it is a high-energy organ, your brain cannot store energy. It relies on a constant supply of glucose from foods you eat throughout your day. The tricky part: If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates at each meal, your blood sugar levels can drop below normal; when they do, your brain will steal glucose from other parts of your body, including muscles and vital organs such as the heart.
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