Your diet plays a key role in brain health, affecting memory, focus, mood, learning, and alertness. Health expert Prashant Desai from Stanford School of Medicine recently shared tips in a viral video, showing which foods and drinks help or harm your mental abilities. Making simple dietary choices can have a big impact on your cognitive performance.
Foods And Drinks That Boost Or Harm Brain Health
Biscuits, high in refined sugars and unhealthy fats, can harm memory, while walnuts support brain function thanks to omega-3s and antioxidants. For better focus, avoid fruit juices, which spike blood sugar, and opt for whole fruits instead. Processed meats can negatively affect mood, whereas fatty fish like salmon help improve emotional stability.
White bread may reduce learning ability due to simple carbohydrates, while leafy greens enhance cognitive function. Energy drinks may give a temporary boost but lead to crashes, while green tea provides steady alertness with antioxidants and gentle caffeine.
Why Diet Matters For Cognitive Performance
Small changes in what you eat and drink can significantly influence brain health. Choosing nutrient-rich foods like walnuts, leafy greens, fatty fish, and whole fruits helps your memory, focus, mood, and learning. Avoiding sugar-laden or processed items prevents crashes and supports consistent mental performance throughout the day.
Prashant Desai emphasises that understanding the “do this, not that” approach is key to improving overall cognitive well-being.
| Brain Function | Worst Food/Drink | Best Food/Drink |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | Biscuits | Walnuts |
| Focus | Fruit juice | Whole fruit |
| Mood | Processed meat | Fatty fish |
| Learning | White bread | Leafy greens |
| Alertness | Energy drinks | Green tea |
Daily Practical Tips For Brain Health
Incorporating these foods into daily meals can be simple. Snack on walnuts, add leafy greens to lunches, enjoy salmon or other fatty fish regularly, choose whole fruits over juices, and sip green tea instead of energy drinks. Over time, these small habits can improve mental clarity, focus, and mood naturally, making your brain sharper and healthier.
