We all know that subsisting on cheeseburgers and pizza is bad for our waistlines and our heart health, and we’ve been told from an early age to “Eat your vegetables (or there will be no dessert!).” When we consider that two-thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese, the implications of current nutritional research are important to understand — and imperative to communicate. There is already a national dialogue about how unhealthy eating habits can lead to diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and so on. Now, given recent studies, we must expand this discussion to include how our food choices can change the brain.

The same foods that are detrimental to your body are, likewise, bad for your brain. For starters, sugar can wreak lasting havoc on our neurological functions. One study found that “rats fed a solution of fructose had a harder time navigating a maze, a sign of slowed learning and memory loss … [presumably] because it affected insulin’s ability to help brain cells use sugar to process thoughts and emotions.”

Furthermore, sugar can lead to the formation of free radicals (i.e. damaged cells that accelerate aging), which can in turn generate “repercussions in how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle our moods.” It also leads to a decline in BDNF levels, a chemical fundamental to memory and learning. Finally, overconsumption of sugar can produce psychological consequences: it activates the same neural pathways (which release dopamine) implicated in addiction. This is only exacerbated by the fact that “sugar dulls the brain’s mechanism for telling you to stop eating … by reducing activity in the brain’s anorexigenic oxytocin system.”

This is not to say that all sugar is evil — indeed, we need sugars in our blood (glucose) for proper brain functioning. However, we can obtain all that we need from natural sources, such as fruit.

Like sugar, saturated fats (“bad” fats) are also harmful to brain health. In one study of 6,000 women over age 65, it was revealed that those “who ate the most saturated fats had the worst changes in their cognitive function and memory. Women who ate the most monounsaturated fats — such as those found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts — fared the best.” Again, it’s important to remember that not all fat should be avoided. Monosaturated (“good”) fats are required for neuronal formation, myelin sheath production, and improved cognitive power.

While we should avoid added sugar and saturated fats whenever possible, there are other nutrients that we should strive to include in our diet for proper brain functioning. Most notable among these are omega-3 fatty acids, which help learning, memory, and fight against such mental disorders as depression and mood disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. One study found that children who were given a drink rich in omega-3’s for a year and a half “showed higher scores on tests measuring verbal intelligence and learning and memory” than a control group.

Perhaps most important among these fatty acids is DHA, which “enhances synaptic plasticity,” and which we cannot produce ourselves (that is, we can only obtain it through our diet). And remember BDNF, that important chemical that sugar reduces? Consuming omega-3 fatty acids can counteract these effects, and ultimately protect the brain from age-related memory loss.

B-vitamins are also crucial for cognitive functioning, especially B-12 and folic acid (B-9). In one study, “people with high levels of markers for vitamin B-12 deficiency were more likely to score lower on cognitive tests, as well as have a smaller total brain volume, which suggests a lack of the vitamin may lead to brain shrinkage.” On the other hand, consuming foods rich in B-12 can help ward off Alzheimer’s. Folic acid is important because its deficiency can increase levels of homocysteine, which is associated with stroke, osteoporosis, blood vessel disease, cervical cancer, and even macular degeneration. It can also reduce depression, and slow down the effects of aging in the brain.

Considering the above information, one of the best things you can do for your brain health is to read food labels. Avoid foods with various forms of added sugar and those high in saturated fats. Even better, stick to a diet without labels — salmon, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Your brain will thank you.

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