A digest of things to digest.
DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in the areas of the brain involved in memory and attention. One study found increasing the amount of DHA consumed by a group of people over six months improved memory in terms of both recall and reaction time. The body doesn’t synthesise these fatty acids in large quantities, and the production rate goes down with age.
This is a good reason to increase the amount of DHA in your diet. DHA is found in fatty fish like anchovies, salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and halibut. Importantly, these need to be from non-farm sources, as the DHA comes from the algae they consume in the wild. The subjects in the study received an amount of DHA equivalent to between two and three portions of oily fish per week. If fish isn’t for you, fish oil tablets are a good alternative.
If it feels like lunchtime is never getting any closer, it might be time to start looking at what was for breakfast. A small-scale study found a breakfast high in carbohydrates and fibre can help fend off feelings of hunger before lunch, when compared to eating a high-fat alternative. When subjects were tested for alertness, the study also found those running on a carbohydrate-rich breakfast performed better. While the study wasn’t conclusive, it led scientists to consider whether more carbs in the morning might keep you on your toes until the afternoon.
High-carbohydrate breakfasts such as porridge, muesli, whole-wheat bread and wheat-based cereals will give you extra energy. To add fibre, chia seeds, flaxseed and nuts like almonds, pecans and walnuts can go on top.
High-energy foods take many forms, unfortunately the more delicious they are, the less likely they are to be good for us. Incidentally, they’re often the ones you find yourself craving at four in the afternoon as well. To address those energy cravings in a healthier way, try chia seeds or bananas instead. One study found that chia-loading, as opposed to traditional carbohydrate-loading, was just as effective in altering performance in athletes. Meanwhile, another found bananas can have similar effects to a carbohydrate drink during periods of exercise. Not a croissant, admittedly, but there’s a reason those are a “sometimes” food.
Scientists are looking into causes of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in an effort to address what might be done to slow these processes down. Antioxidant-rich foods have been revealed as a potential solution.
When cells consume oxygen, one of the outputs is “free radicals”, which can interact with other parts of our cells. Too much oxidation results in oxidative stress, and can cause cell damage.
Antioxidants are believed to decrease vulnerability to oxidative stress. The benefit of this is a lower rate of cell degeneration, which is particularly important for brain cells. Grape juice, berries and walnuts – all rich in antioxidants – showed positive results when their effect on memory and learning was tested on humans with mild cognitive impairment. The hope is this could point to antioxidants playing a vital role in maintaining brain cell health.
