How Food Affects the Brain

Food is an essential part of keeping our brain healthy since it impacts the brain in numerous ways! In this blog post, I will be discussing five ways that healthy food positively affects the human brain!

The brain needs numerous amounts of nutrients in order to function and preform properly. When a person eats a food item that contains a good amount of fatty acids, like salmon, it can help with supporting the brain cell function and cell structure. Foods with Vitamin C and Vitamin E, like fruits, nuts, and vegetables, can also help with the protection of brain cell from damaging by oxidation. The regulation of emotions and moods can be controlled by eating enough B-Vitamins since they help synthesize neurotransmitters. It is also important that each person eats enough minerals since it helps with signaling of neurons and messaging between the brain cells.

The brain requires a lot of energy in order for it to function optimally and it relies on food since it provides that constant energy supply that the brain needs. Glucose is the primary source of energy for the brain. Once the food items that contains glucose in it is consumed in the body, the digestive system breaks it down and it is then transported to the brain. Another way that the brain can get glucose is through foods with complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Food items containing complex carbohydrates help with the sustainment release of glucose that goes into the bloodstream. This positively affects the brain since it helps with the stabilization of energy in the brain. This helps the brain with better concentration and performance.

Neurotransmitters have the ability to influence an individual's mood and emotions. When a person eats healthy food rich in amino acids, it can help with the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a type of neurotransmitter that is used and associated with an individual's well-being and feeling of happiness. Another type of food that helps with the production of Serotonin is foods that are rich in carbohydrates. Eating foods that are rich in these types of amino acids and carbohydrates can help with reducing the risk of blood spikes and crashes which can also affect a person's mood.

Oxidative stress occurs when there is an extra amount of free radicals that are located in the body cells. When a person consumes food containing antioxidants, such as blueberries and spinach, it can help protect the body cells from oxidative stress. Over a long period of time, the protection that is provided by antioxidants can help with reducing the risk of cognitive decline. The protection of antioxidant foods also leads to a better performance of cognitives and slow the aging of the brain while the individual is aging. Another type of food that helps increase cognitive performance is whole foods and a variety of fruits and vegetables since they supply the brain with the essential nutrients that it needs.

Consuming healthy foods and maintaining a nutritional diet that includes whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and proteins, can help with reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Dementia. When an individual consumes an excess amount of processed foods that contain saturated fat, it is easier for that individual to face cognitive decline. This is because this poor type of diet leads to inflammation and cognitive stress in the brain. However, a diet that is rich in antioxidants can help reduce the inflammation and prevent cognitive stress in the brain due to its health benefits. This is why that it is important for children to develop healthy eating habits when they are young since they won't have to face the struggle of transitioning their poor diet to a healthier one.

I hope that this blog post has helped contribute to your understanding of how food can affect the brain! Please check out my other blog posts to learn more about your health and tips to improve it!

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