Nutrition for Brain Health
By: Shirley Khuong, registered dietitian at JM Nutrition, About Shirley
Is there such a thing as nutrition for brain health? Our registered dietitian, Shirley Khuong, explores the topic in some depth.
The Importance of Nutrition for Brain Health
Food is not only important to help our body stay nourished, but our brain too. Whether or not we are aware of it, our brain is always active. We use our brain every day to complete involuntary tasks. This includes breathing and our heart beating. It also helps us to move around and complete our work for the day. Keeping our brain healthy is important to help us perform well, process information and maintain good brain function as we age.Â
Studies have shown that people following the Mediterranean diet and the way of living have shown more positive impact on brain health. The Mediterranean lifestyle focuses on socializing with other people, sharing food, being close to nature, being physically active and engaging in the community. It is also marked by eating healthy (Georgousopoulou et al., 2020). Being physically active includes increasing your general body movement in the day to use up more energy.
Brain health and physical activity
The Canadian Physical Activity Guideline recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per week. The more physical activity, the better, underscore our sports nutritionists. This can include speed walking, biking, swimming, heavy yard work or aerobic dancing.Â
In addition, the guide recommends strength training of major muscle groups twice per week (24 hour Movement Guidelines, 2024). If you are having trouble increasing your activity level, you can start by increasing your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). You can do so by going for walking breaks, taking the stairs, use a standing desk and by completing small chores. It’s quite simple, really.Â
Furthermore, getting enough nutrition helps to make sure you are getting enough fuel to keep yourself moving.
Nutrition also plays an important role in maintaining long-term brain health. By making healthier food choices, we are able to process information more quickly, store memories for longer and complete our tasks more effectively.
There are six major nutrients that can help our bodies and brains stay strong. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Nutrition for Brain Health: Essential Nutrients
1. Healthy unsaturated fats
Undoubtedly, healthy unsaturated fats are critically important and, as such, an essential component for optimum brain health nutrition.
Healthy unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature. There are usually two kinds of healthy fats: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. They are both good for heart health and brain health.
Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are an integral part of nutrition for brain health. They support the production of signalling molecules in your brain that is important for learning and memory (Psychology Today, 2012).
The Mediterranean diet is high in monounsaturated fats. Studies on the Mediterranean diet included the use of 1 litre of extra virgin olive oil per week and 30 grams of nuts per day. The results have shown that this type of diet patterns helps to slow down age-related breakdown of brain cells and improve blood flow to protect brain health (Aridi et al., 2017).
Food sources:
Food sources of monounsaturated fats include avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Ways to increase your intake is to use olive oil when you are pan-frying, adding crushed nuts to your yogurt or having ¼ cup of unsalted nuts as a snack.
Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats are also a mainstay of brain health nutrition.
These include omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fats are important for brain growth and a variety of brain activities. They also help slow the breakdown of brain cells. Approximately 15-20% of the brain is made of omega-3 fats (Dighriri et al., 2022).
What’s more, studies have shown that omega-3 can help improve your learning ability, memory, general brain function and blood flow to the brain to support brain health.
It is best to include foods in your diet that are higher in omega-3, such as having fatty fish two times per week. If you are unable to get enough omega-3 through foods, supplements can be used to help support brain health.
Food sources
Food sources of Omega-3 fats include walnuts, flax seeds, and fatty fish (anchovies, mackerel, salmon, trout, canned sardines, arctic char and mussels).
Ways in which you can increase your omega-3 intake is to have fatty fish two times per week or take an omega-3 supplement. If you are taking a supplement, EPA and DHA are the two ingredients that have the most positive impact on brain health (Gard et al., 2018).
2. Whole grains
Whole grains, too, are important aspect of nutrition for brain health.
These include a variety of micronutrients like fibre, B vitamins and vitamin E.
Whole grains also contain glucose, which is the main source of energy used by your brain. Eating whole grain foods more often supports heart health and good blood sugar control.
Both health conditions support brain health by providing good blood flow to the brain. This allows our brain to receive all the nutrients it needs to function well. Moreover, people who include more whole grain foods in their diet are able to maintain a healthy brain for longer (Ross et al., 2023).
Food sources
Food sources of whole grains include whole grain oats, farro, buckwheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals, and whole grain crackers.
Ways to increase your intake is to have oatmeal for breakfast, or to choose whole grain bread for sandwiches, or use buckwheat flour to make pancakes.
3. Plant-based proteins
Plant-based proteins are getting more and more attention as ‘health foods.’Â
The question is: Are they truly an important aspect of brain health nutrition? And, do they impact brain health?
Plant-based proteins usually include many different nutrients. These include protein, fibre, along with a variety of vitamins and minerals. Choosing these foods more often can also support heart health and good blood sugar management. This may indirectly maintain good brain function.
Although there is no consistent research at this time to show positive effects of plant-based proteins on brain function (Medawar et al., 2019), it does still support positive effects on overall health and disease risk. Plant-based proteins are also included in the Mediterranean diet, which does have a positive relationship in supporting brain health. For these reasons, consider including plant-based proteins in your diet.
Food sources
Food sources of plant-based proteins include beans, lentils, chickpeas, edamame, unsweetened fortified soy beverages, split peas, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds.
Ways to increase your intake is to make bean dips, pair vegetable sticks with hummus, add crushed nuts and seeds to a salad, or add firm tofu to your stir-fry.
4. Vitamin D
No nutrition for brain health list would be complete without a reference to Vitamin D.
This vitamin also has an anti-inflammatory property that can help support brain health.
So what does this do?
It has been suggested that Vitamin D plays a role in supporting memory function. Lower levels of vitamin D in your blood tests can mean an increased risk of cognitive impairment (Zhang et al., 2024). As such, it is a good idea to ensure the consumption of Vitamin D, if optimum nutrition for brain health is the goal.
Food sources
Food sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, plant-based beverages and soft tub margarine.
It is, however, difficult to get enough vitamin D from food.
We can also create vitamin D in our body by being in the sun.
Since we live in Canada, it is hard to get enough sunlight between the months of October and May so it is recommended to take a supplement during the winter.
The vitamin D supplementation recommended for most people is between 1000-2000 IU per day. During the summertime, go outside to soak up some sun–but don’t forget your sunscreen.
5. Vitamin B12
If you’re looking to optimize your diet for brain health, consider Vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 helps keep your nerves and red blood cells healthy and to make genetic material in your cells (PEN, 2008). Humans are not able to make this vitamin on their own. As such, they need to get it from foods, most of which are from animal products or fortified foods.
Low levels of vitamin B12 in your body are associated with the risk of negative changes to your brain structure and function. By improving your intake of foods containing vitamin B12, it can help support positive changes in overall brain function (Jatoi et al., 2020).
Food sources
Food sources of vitamin B12 are from beef, pork, chicken, seafood, fish, soy veggie burgers, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, plant-based milk beverages and nutritional yeast.
Ways to increase your vitamin B12 intake is to include one serving of protein at all meals. Include a milk product or plant-based milk beverage at snacks, or add nutritional yeast to salad or soup.
Consideration
People at risk of being deficient in vitamin B12 include people who follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet, are on long-term medications to decrease stomach acid production, have gastritis, have digestive diseases (eg. Crohn’s Disease) or have previously had weight loss surgery.
If you fit within one of these categories, you can take a vitamin B12 supplement or talk to your doctor about your health concerns. We cannot underscore this enough.
6. Antioxidants
Antioxidants also play a key role in nutrition for brain health.
Reason being, they can slow down the breakdown of brain cells related to inflammation from aging (Nazzi et al., 2024).
Vitamin C and E are examples of antioxidants.
Foods containing antioxidants helps to improve or stabilize changes to cognitive performance, such as memory, speed of processing, visual learning, and ‘cognitive flexibility.’
Food sources
Food sources of antioxidants include nuts, spinach, oranges, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, whole grains, fish, seafood, tomatoes, tea and red wine.
Ways to increase your intake of antioxidants include having a fruit or vegetable smoothie. You can also use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. In addition, you can add spinach leaves to your salad. Last, choose whole grains more often. These are just a handful of examples.Â
Nutrition for Brain Health: What to Avoid
Processed foods
If optimum nutrition for brain health is your goal, then reduce or eliminate altogether processed foods.
Including a lot of ultra-processed foods in your diet can increase the risk of cognitive impairment. This applies even if you follow a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet (Bhave et al., 2024).
Ultra-processed foods are usually high in sugar and salt. This can have a negative impact on your overall health.
In addition, these foods usually go through multiple processes, have numerous added colours and ingredients, as well as preservatives to make foods extra tasty.
Although they can be enjoyable to eat, most of these foods do not contain very much nutritional value. So not only are you eating large amounts of ingredients with little nutritional value, but you may also be missing out on the vitamins and minerals you need to support your brain health.
Food sources
Food sources of ultra processed foods are deli meats, hot dogs, pastries, fast foods, frozen entrees, candies, chips, sugary drinks, frozen desserts (and yes, including ice cream), sweetened breakfast cereals, sauces and gravies.
It is okay to have these every now and then. However, it is best to avoid having these foods for most of your meals. The best way to avoid these foods is to cook your meals more often and choose whole foods.
Red meat
The Mediterranean has shown many benefits related to supporting brain health. Those recommendations also include a lower intake of red meats.
Red meat can also contain high amounts of unhealthy, saturated fats. Both of these are more inflammatory.
Most of the negative impact on brain health comes from ultra-processed meats, such as deli meats, ham, sausages and hot dogs.
However, if you choose to include lean red meats in your diet 1-2 times per week, these can be great sources of iron, vitamin B12 and protein.
Food sources
Food sources of red meats include beef, pork, lamb, and goat. Choose lean versions more often. Avoid eating the skin as well.
Nutrition for Brain Health: Final Thoughts
We use our brains every day whether we know it or not, so it is important that it stays working well for a long time. There are many nutrients that are important to keep your brain healthy for the long-term. Eating a balanced diet including healthy fats, whole grains, plant-based proteins, and the proper supplements can help you make sure you’re doing what you can through food. This can also support overall good health.
Brian health and nutrition are indeed interlinked. However, don’t forget that there is more than just food that can help keep your brain working well.
It is also important to stay active and take time to socialize with other people. This way, you will get more than just a healthy brain out of the process.
Conclusion
If you you feel we missed any tips regarding optimum nutrition for brain health that you feel should be on the list, please get in touch and let us know. We will gladly add them in.
If you’re interested in receiving nutrition counselling for brain health or other related matters, book a free consultation and we will gladly lend a hand.Â
References and Resources
Aridi, Y.S., Walker, JL, Wright ORL (2017). The Association between the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Cognitive Health: A Systematic Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5537789/
Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) (2022). Brain Health Food Guide.
Dighriri IM., Alsubaie AZ., Hakami FM., Hamithi DM., Alkesh MM. et al. (2022). Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9641984/
Galioto R., Spitznagel MB. (2016). The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Adults. Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4863263/
Gard SG., Wang F., Sinclair AJ., Elliot G., Turchini GM. (2018). How does high DHA fish oil affect health? A systematic review of evidence. Systematic Review. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2018.1425978?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org#abstract
Jatoi S., Hafeez A., Riaz SU., et al. (2020). Low Vitamin B12 Levels: An Underestimated Cause Of Minimal Cognitive Impairment And Dementia. Cross-sectional, multicenter study. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7077099/
Liu x., Beck T., Dhana K., Desai P., Krueger KR., Tangney CC. et al. (2023). Association of Whole Grain Consumption and Cognitive Decline: An Investigation From a Community-Based Biracial Cohort of Older Adults. Longitudinal, biracial, population-based study. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10727204/
Medawar E., Huhn S., Villringer A., Witte AV (2019). The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0552-0
Nazzi C., Avenanti A. Battaglia S (2024). The Involvement of Antioxidants in Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration: Mens Sana in Corpore Sano. Review. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/6/701
Pettersen JA (2017). Does high dose vitamin D supplementaiton enhance cognition? RCT in Healthy Adults. RCT. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0531556516303230
Ross AB., Shertukde SP., Staffier KL., Chung M., Jacques PF., McKeown NM. (2023). The Relationship between Whole-Grain Intake and Measures of Cognitive Decline, Mood, and Anxiety—A Systematic Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10334137/
Ueno A., Hamano T., Enomoto S., Shirafuji N., Nagata M. et al. (2022). Influences of Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Cognition and Homocysteine in Patients with Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Cognitive Impairment. Multi-center, open-label, single-arm study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35406106/
Varun MB. Oladele CR., Ament Z., et al. (2024). Impact of Ultraprocessed Food Consumption on Neurologic Outcomes. Prospective, observational cohort study enrolled adults in US from 2003-2007. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209432?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
Wenk G (2012). Dietary Fats That Improve Brain Function. Article. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/your-brain-on-food/201205/dietary-fats-that-improve-brain-function
Wu L., Sun D (2017). Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing cognitive disorders: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5256032/
Zhan X., Jia J (2024). Association of Vitamin D Levels with Risk of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3233/JAD-231381
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Shirley Khuong is a registered dietitian in Vancouver, servicing clients in the city as well as the rest of the province of British Columbia and Alberta.
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JM Nutrition is a nutritional counselling service by nutritionists and dietitians in Canada. Main areas of service: Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia et al. Primary offices: JM Nutrition Toronto, JM Nutrition Ottawa, JM Nutrition Vancouver and Halifax.
