Brain And Diet: Eat Healthy

The brain and diet interact closely. The biggest connection between your body and the food you eat is not your digestive tract but your brain. Diet directly affects the brain.  On the one hand, they are responsible for the feeling of hunger, satiety, and reason to eat, and on the other hand, they get their energy from food.

For your brain to function optimally, you need to nourish it properly.  Depending on what we eat, there are several metabolic processes that convert nutrients into fuel for the brain.

The brain and diet: where does the brain get its energy?

The brain does not rest. They are constantly active and functional, even if you are not aware of it. Nutrition is so important because the only way to give your brain energy is to eat a lot of different foods.

Carbohydrates help the brain be more efficient. Of the carbohydrates, sugar or sucrose is the most important for optimal brain function.  Yes, sugar is not just bad.

Sugar is a water-soluble food that is easily digestible by the body. Chemically, it is a disaccharide made up of two molecules: one is glucose and the other is fructose. Both are generally considered to be the two main types of sugar.

However, glucose and fructose have opposite effects on the brain. The former activates the saturation signal. Fructose, on the other hand, performs the opposite function, activating brain pathways that increase interest in food. One reduces and the other stimulates the desire to continue eating. Interesting, isn’t it?

Glucose is a favorite food of the brain

Among these types of sugar, glucose is a favorite of the brain.  It is your favorite cell food and the most important source of energy for your brain. It is necessary.

In fact, despite the fact that your brain weighs only 2% of your total body weight, they need almost one-fifth of the total amount of glucose circulating in your blood. In addition, they require 10 times more blood than muscle tissue.  Why? Unlike muscles and other organs, the brain cannot store glucose for later use.

In addition to this, the brain has another defect: its cells are unable to convert fats or proteins into glucose. They can only use glucose, which comes from the daily intake of sugar.

Perhaps now you better understand that eating healthy is a decision that affects more than just your weight. Glucose-containing foods include, for example, vegetables (carrots, beets), dairy products, grains (corn, wheat, brown rice) and bread.

Too much or too little is harmful

But beware! Just because sugar is necessary for your brain to function properly doesn’t mean you should fill yourself with pastries and junk food. Remember that sugar is naturally present in the food you eat every day, and that amount is enough.

Too high or too low a glucose level will cause the body to not function normally. If your blood sugar is low, such as when your diet is too restrictive, it can impair your memory, concentration, and learning. If it is too high, chronic diseases can cause epilepsy.

Brain and diet: other foods that are good for your brain

Starch is another complex carbohydrate formed by glucose molecules and is very beneficial for good brain function. Therefore, it is important that the diet also includes starchy foods such as potatoes, rice and pasta.

Proteins are essential for the production of neurotransmitters. These, in turn, are responsible for the flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body. Examples of good sources of protein are fish (tuna, sardines, salmon), meat and eggs.

Nuts increase blood circulation and oxygen distribution throughout the body. In addition, nuts are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory because they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

How do foods turn into brain energy?

When we eat, the enzymes of the digestive system break down the food into parts.  Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, proteins are broken down into amino acids and fats into fatty acids.

These compounds travel in the bloodstream to the various cells that make up the human body. Some, like glucose, go directly into the blood vessels in the brain. Others, such as fatty acids, are structural elements of cell membranes.

Habits that damage brain function

Skipping breakfast means the brain gets less nourishment and works worse in the morning. Likewise, when you get too little or too much sugar, it immediately affects the power of your brain.

Lack of exercise or sleep, smoking, alcohol or medication can even change the structure of the brain as they have a strong effect on the central nervous system. Lack of friends, violence, and stress also impair mental capacity.

We will not become smarter by changing our diet. But it affects daily mental performance and efficiency. We have already seen that while glucose is the foundation of everything, the best way to ensure that our brains are fully nourished is to follow a healthy and balanced diet.

By making small changes to your diet, you may see surprising results in everyday tasks such as math, reasoning, and memory. Why not give it a try?