Food for good memory

Food is the most important tool when it comes to staying mentally as well as physically fit. The standard urban diet is a nightmare. White pasta, cheese pizzas, cupcakes, mud cakes, pastries, ice-creams, brownies, chocolates and noodles are part of everyday meals eaten by urban kids and adults. These foods are loaded with sugar and chemical additives that add toxins to our blood and brain, leading to inflammation and damage to our body organs.

Fortunately, food is a powerful healing agent too. Simple changes in the daily diet can protect the body and brain from ageing and memory loss. The most important nutrient for the brain is the right kind of fat. There are four categories of fat that we consume:

MUFA (Monounsaturated fatty acids)

PUFA (Polyunsaturated fatty acids) SFA (saturated fatty acids) Trans fats. Out of these, MUFA and PUFA (Omega-3) are beneficial for our brain. The other two should be avoided. MUFA is found in almonds, olive oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil and sesame seed oil. Omega-3 is found in cold water fish, dark-green vegetables, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and flaxseeds. So, the first step in improving your memory is to increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, and decrease your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and PUFA (Omega-6). Ensure proper fat intake by

Taking fish oil supplements that contain EPA and DHA (types of Omega-3)

Limiting total oil consumption to 20gm a day

Eating almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds

Eliminating trans fats from the diet completely. Do not buy products with the ingredient ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oil’. Most biscuits, fried snacks and crackers contain trans fats

Ensure your antioxidant intake by consuming at least three cups of raw vegetables and one cup of fruits every day. Include about 15gm of protein in each meal.

For the brain

Supplements work in synergy with your food to recharge your brain. The following supplements are beneficial.

DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is an essential fatty acid that is critical for better brain health. About 25% of the brain fat is made up of DHA. It is found in fatty fish like salmon, rohu, tuna, trout and bangada.

VITAMIN B12: It is important for maintaining the protective covering around nerve cells (myelin sheath). Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, fish and dairy products. Vegetarians particularly are at a risk of being deficient in this vitamin, and can take supplements of vitamin B12. A deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause numbness or tingling in the arms and legs.

Source | Hindustan Times | 25 August 2015