If you removed all the moisture from your brain and broke it down into its individual nutritional components, what would it look like? Most of the weight of your dehydrated brain would come from fats, also known as lipids. The remaining brain matter would contain proteins and amino acids, trace amounts of micronutrients, and glucose. While the brain is much more than the sum of its nutritional parts, each component does play a specific role in brain function, development, mood, and energy.
Have you ever experienced post-lunch drowsiness or late-night alertness? These sensations could be the result of the effect of food on your brain. Of the fats in your brain, the most important are omegas 3 and 6. These essential fatty acids, which have been linked to preventing degenerative brain conditions, must come from our diet. Eating omega-rich foods, such as nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, is necessary for the creation and maintenance of cell membranes. While omegas are good fats for the brain, long-term consumption of other fats, like trans and saturated fats, may harm brain health.
Proteins and amino acids, which are the building block nutrients of growth and development, influence how we feel and behave. Amino acids contain the precursors to neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that carry signals between neurons, affecting things such as mood, sleep, attentiveness, and weight. The complex combinations of compounds in food can stimulate brain cells to release mood-altering norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. However, getting to brain cells is difficult, and amino acids must compete for limited access. A diet with a variety of foods helps maintain a balanced combination of brain messengers and keeps your mood from becoming skewed in one direction or the other.
Like the other organs in our body, our brains also benefit from a consistent supply of micronutrients. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables strengthen the brain to fight off free radicals that destroy brain cells, enabling the brain to function well for a longer period of time. Without powerful micronutrients, such as vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid, our brains would be susceptible to brain disease and mental decline. Trace amounts of minerals, such as iron, copper, zinc, and sodium, are also vital for brain health and early cognitive development. For the brain to efficiently transform and synthesize these valuable nutrients, it requires a lot of fuel, most of which comes from carbohydrates that our body digests into glucose or blood sugar.
Carbohydrates come in three forms: starch, sugar, and fiber. On most nutrition labels, they are all grouped into one total carbohydrate count, but the ratio of the sugar and fiber subgroups to the whole amount affects how the body and brain respond. A high glycemic food, such as white bread, causes a rapid release of glucose into the blood, followed by a dip in blood sugar that can lead to a decline in attention span and mood. On the other hand, oats, grains, and legumes have a slower release of glucose, enabling a steadier level of attentiveness. For sustained brain power, it is crucial to opt for a varied diet of nutrient-rich foods. Your choices in food have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body.
Based on what you’ve learned about the composition of the brain and the effect of food on it, create a week-long meal plan that includes foods rich in omegas, proteins, amino acids, micronutrients, and healthy carbohydrates. Explain why you’ve chosen each food and how it contributes to brain health.
Keep a journal for a week, noting down what you eat and how you feel afterwards. Do you notice any patterns? Do certain foods make you feel more alert or more sluggish? Share your findings with the class.
Choose a degenerative brain condition, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Research and present on how diet and nutrition can influence the risk or progression of this disease.
Divide into two groups. One group will argue in favor of high glycemic foods and the other will argue in favor of low glycemic foods. Use evidence from your readings to support your arguments.
Using what you’ve learned about the nutrients that benefit the brain, create a recipe that includes as many of these nutrients as possible. The class will vote on the recipe that they think is the most brain-boosting.
