Delicious Foods To Improve Your Focus And Memory

The food you eat can alter and enhance your working memory, concentration, mental clarity, and mood. Foods high in omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals are beneficial for focus, attention, and memory. Foods like avocados, blueberries, caffeine, flax seeds, dark, leafy green vegetables such as spinach, and much more can increase your focus during the day. If you ever lose focus or have a difficult time concentrating throughout the day, continue reading to discover the foods you can pack as a snack to improve your concentration.

Stock Up On Avocados

Avocados are loaded with monounsaturated fat, which is a good fat that improves blood flow. When blood flow is enhanced, the heart does not have to work as hard, and it increases the speed at which brain cells can travel, increasing concentration. Avocados are also rich in fiber (11g-17g in each avocado) which satisfies hunger for longer periods. You can add avocados to a salad, toast, or eat them on their own. Search different ways to consume avocados in order to keep concentrated and well-nourished throughout the work week.

Blueberries Increase Blood Flow And Concentration

Blueberries - one of the most popular superfoods - are known for being high in antioxidants, but did you know antioxidants help stimulate blood flow and the flow of oxygen to your brain? These traits from blueberries are what makes them promote concentration and memory for up to five hours after eating them. There are many other benefits to blueberries including promoting healthy weight loss, supporting digestion, alleviating inflammation, promoting a healthy heart, fighting harmful free radicals, and aiding in preventing cancers. Remember to throw a few blueberries in your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, or just snack on them by themselves. Check out more about blueberries and superfoods by reading Incredible Ways These Popular Superfoods Can Improve Your Overall Health.

Dark Chocolate And Caffeine For Focus

Dark chocolate and beverages with caffeine, like coffee and tea, are great to increase focus. However, the overconsumption of caffeine can warrant unwanted effects such as jitteriness, nervousness, and anxiety. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, has a small amount of caffeine but also contains magnesium and stimulates the release of serotonin and endorphins, which can help you de-stress and elevate your mood. Large quantities of dark chocolate are not great for you, however, small amounts can greatly improve your focus. Add dark chocolate to trail mix, or pack a small amount on its own.

Add Flax Seeds To Your Meals

Flax seeds are considered a superfood because they are high in magnesium, B-vitamins, omega-3, protein, antioxidants, and fiber which all help with mental clarity, healthy weight loss, and focus. Other benefits of eating flax seeds include improving digestion, giving a clearer complexion, lowering cholesterol, reducing the cravings for sugar, balancing hormones, and helping to fight off cancer. Individuals can grind flax seeds and add them to cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. However, they should not be eaten on their own as they can be quite hard on your digestive system.

Have A Cup Of Green Tea

Drinking a cup of green tea can give you many health benefits, but did you know it can help you focus? Green tea has antioxidants and a small amount of caffeine, but it also has the amino acid, L-theanine. Consuming L-theanine can help lower anxiety, improve your memory and increase overall brain function. Other health benefits of green tea include improving memory, promoting healthy weight loss, lowering cholesterol, regulating sugar levels in the blood, and reducing the risk of cancers. Now that you know some of the benefits of green tea, make yourself a cup! If you want to learn more about tea, check out Little-Known Health Benefits Of Drinking Tea.

Your Parents Told You To Eat Your Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens are loaded with vitamin K and are fantastic for improving your focus and mental clarity. A recent study found patients who consume two or more servings of leafy greens have a slower rate of mental deterioration as they age. The difference is approximately eleven years of aging between those who eat leafy greens each day and those who do not! The Alzheimer’s Association recommends to exercise regularly, do not smoke, maintain a healthy weight, keep on top of your cardiovascular system, and stay mentally engaged to keep a youthful, healthy brain.

Nuts And Seeds To Improve Your Concentration

Nuts and seeds are rich in energy, nutrients, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are needed for a healthy, well-balanced diet. Nuts can lower your chances of cognitive decline as you age, and you only need one ounce of them per day to benefit from this. Nuts and seeds you should begin stocking up on include almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, chia seeds, coconut, hazelnuts, macadamia, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. Make your trail mix for on your way to and from work or school and remember, you only need an ounce per day to benefit from them.

Salmon And Other Fatty Fish

Salmon is loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 and omega-6. All of these are beneficial for your health, mental clarity, and concentration. Aside from increased brain function, salmon is also beneficial for your cardiovascular system, mood, and its anti-inflammatory properties are excellent for your joints and digestive tract. Consuming omega-3s can also help protect you from cancers such as colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. If you do not like the taste of fish, you can always buy a lemon-flavored cod liver oil to achieve the same benefits without the fishy taste.

Drink Half A Gallon Of Water Each Day

The human brain is made up of eighty-five percent water, and our bodies are made up of sixty-five percent, so we need to consume an average of half of a gallon of it every day. Aside from needing water to live, it has many benefits for the brain including increased brain function, reaction time, working memory, concentration, clarity, and creativity. But the benefits of drinking water do not end there. By having a glass of water as soon as you wake up, it helps make you more alert and kick starts your organs. It also helps regulate your metabolism, hydrates your skin, and helps your kidneys and digestive tract. Pour yourself a glass to get focused and motivated!