There are five foods consumed daily that could affect the ability to concentrate and remember, according to research conducted by Uma Naidoo, director of Nutritional Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Naidoo admits that these foods can be very difficult to eliminate from the diet; However, he makes a number of suggestions that he might help.
The specialist has carried out several studies on the importance of diet in brain function, as well as mental health and mood.
Among his most notable works are those related to the healthiest recommendations to guarantee mental health. They are those foods that contribute to improving memory, attention, and concentration.
They are foods that contain vitamins and nutrients such as fatty acids, omega-3, minerals, flavonoids, and vitamins such as B12, E and K); especially seafood, leafy vegetables, nuts or peas.
Just as there are foods that help improve memory, there are five that produce the opposite effect, they are: added and refined sugars, processed foods, fried foods, highly processed oils and sweeteners.
One of the main foods that is suggested to be avoided due to its harmful effects on health is refined sugar, in the case of the brain, it explains, although it is true that the brain needs glucose for its cellular activities, in excess it damages the memory.
This is because it can “generate memory deficiencies and less plasticity in the hippocampus, which is precisely the part of the brain that controls memory capacity,” Alimente quotes.
Added and refined sugar is present in many of the foods we consume, including sweets, canned soups, salads and sauces.
Excessive consumption of highly processed oils causes the body to make chemicals that could inflame the brain; This is due to the high amounts of fatty acids. These are sunflower, corn, soybean and safflower oils, among others. Naidoo suggests consuming olive, avocado and coconut oil.
According to research, the consumption of ultra-processed foods can cause a shortening of telomeres, which are the ends of chromosomes, which in the long term could trigger degenerative diseases prematurely.
Other studies carried out by Naidoo indicate that excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods could trigger mild depression.
Among the foods that increase the risk of affecting memory and cognition, and damaging the brain, are fried or battered foods. These meals, although they are easy and practical to prepare, are not the most recommended.
An alternative to these foods is the use of other cooking methods such as air frying, baking and steaming.
And finally, saccharin, stevia or sucralose, in addition to having no nutritional value, contribute to an increase in the amount of bad bacteria that live in the belly, which in turn affects mood. In these cases healthier options such as coconut sugar or honey.
Keep reading:
. Secrets you didn’t know about the relationship between mental health and the intestines
. The 6 best foods for the brain according to a Harvard University expert
. Eating too many ultra-processed foods could make you depressed
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