People (and zombies) always talk about brain food. They're all, "Expand your memorization skills with this poly-unsaturated flax nugget," or "I rubbed truffle oil on my forehead, and then could learn by osmosis!"
Truth be told, the best things you can do to improve your brain function are the same things you can do to improve your overall health:
Eat lean proteins (nuts, legumes, fish/poultry), whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats), healthy fats (olive oil, canola oil, omega-3s, avocados), fresh vegetables (duh) and unprocessed foods (as in, stuff that doesn't come from a box, a vending machine, or a drive-thru window). Also, drink loads of water; get on a good sleep cycle; exercise regularly; and make sure you have satisfying outlets for having fun/talking out your problems. You don't need to be Chris Traeger or anything, but the idea is to be active, happy and balanced—not sluggish, bloated, and hopped up on Pixy Stix.
(Also, if you feel like you've got year-long brain fog, you may want to check out this or this. Studies have shown that factors like eating too much refined sugar, not drinking enough water, gluten sensitivity, and other dietary/digestive/mineral/food allergy issues can jack you up and make you perma-spacey.)
The point is, if you've got a healthy baseline, you're already well on the way to a faster, better brain. But let's say you want to super-charge your mind and do one of those memory contests (or remember why science jokes like, "What do you do with a dead chemist? Barium" are adorkable). A lot of science-y types have decided that some foods, when eaten regularly and in moderation, can help turn your smarts on. Here they are:
Apples, Cranberries, and Prunes: This guy (and other doctor types) like his high ursolic acid content; UA is great for brain function.
Cacao beans: Yep, this is the stuff at the core of chocolate. Awesome, right? Dark, dark chocolates—preferably organic and not, like, Hershey's or Tootsie Pops—are loaded with compounds that make us feel happy and focused. Sweeeeet.
Matcha: In simpler terms: high-quality powdered green tea. It's great for keeping you alert but calm, so you can be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed without that triple-espresso feeling where it's like your heart's exploding out of your chest.
Turmeric: That spice that makes curry bright yellow? It's turmeric, and it's a rockstar when it comes to brain health.
Folic acid: Take this stuff, and get better grades. For serious.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Use these, and get your memory on in a big way. Find 'em in foods like walnuts, sardines, salmon, romaine lettuce, spinach, halibut, and more.
Egg yolks: Yolks are high in choline, an amino acid that your brain loves so hard.
Berries: In particular, strawberries, blueberries, acai berries, and blackberries are like janitors for your neural pathways.
Eat up, Sparklers, and rock out on those exams!
Do you eat any of the foods Rachel recommends?
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