08/06/2025
5 BEST Brain Foods
While following the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet can give your brain overall protection against premature aging, studies show that these specific foods enhance cognition. Include them in your diet often.
Avocados: A study published in the journal Nutrients found that older adults who ate one fresh avocado a day for six months experienced better working memory, problem-solving skills, and eyesight. Avocados are a rich source of lutein, an antioxidant linked to vision and brain health. What’s more, this fatty fruit contains monounsaturated fat which contributes to healthy blood flow-and healthy blood flow means a healthy brain.
Blueberries: The antioxidant-rich anthocyanins in blueberries reduce both oxidative damage to your neurons and inflammation within the brain. A study by researchers at the University of Exeter found that healthy seniors who drank concentrated blueberry juice every day experienced improvements in cognition, blood flow to the brain, and activation of the brain while carrying out cognitive tests.
Coffee: Regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of mental decline, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Until recently, however, researchers didn’t know why. Finding out of the Krembil Brain Institute in Toronto, Canada, point to a particular set of compounds known as phenylindanes that form during the roasting process. Their study found that phenylindanes inhibit both amyloid beta and tau proteins. How much should you drink to get these antidementia benefits? In one trial of 676 healthy men over the age of 80, those who drank an average of three cups of coffee each day experienced fewer cognitive problems than those who drank less.
Dark Chocolate: Yes, chocolate can now be considered a health food—as long as it contains at least 70 percent cacao. Two clinical trials conducted at Loma Linda University found that moderate amounts of dark chocolate have a positive impact on cognition, memory, and mood. In another study, Italian researchers found that long-term ingestion of cocoa flavanols improved attention, mental processing, working memory, and verbal fluency in the elderly and was most beneficial in those who had mild cognitive impairments or the beginnings of memory loss.
Eggs: This breakfast staple is high in brain-friendly choline and lutein, as well as vitamins B6, B12, and folate. A recent study found that these three Bs slowed the rate of atrophy in the brain.
