Brain power: foods that maximize mental health

Eating "brain-healthy" foods regularly can improve your focus at work, may help prevent or delay dementia and maximize brain development in children and teens.

Regularly consuming a variety of healthy nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids helps maintain healthy brain function and may reduce your risk for Alzheimer's disease. Choose omega-3-rich fish that are low in mercury such as salmon, herring, lake trout, sardines and anchovies. Plant-based sources include algae, soybeans, flaxseeds, walnuts and canola, pumpkin seed, hemp, soybean and flaxseed oils. Fish oil supplements are also excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids and often undergo purification to reduce harmful levels of contaminants such as mercury.

Foods rich in antioxidants positively influence brain function. Berries, broccoli, spinach, other leafy green vegetables, potatoes, vegetable oils, nuts, vitamin E-fortified breakfast cereals and the curry spice curcumin are grouped into the category of antioxidant-rich foods which may help protect your brain from oxidation and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Folate is a B vitamin that plays a crucial role in fetal and childhood brain development, as well as proper brain function in adults. Folate helps prevent cognitive decline associated with aging, while folate deficiency can cause cognitive impairment and depression. Foods rich in folate include leafy greens, orange juice, broccoli, legumes, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, avocados, folate-enriched grains including breads, cereals and pastas and peanuts. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, adult men and women need 400 micrograms of folate daily, while pregnant women need 600 micrograms, and nursing women require 500 micrograms of folate each day. Folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, is often present in multivitamin supplements.

The Dietitians of Canada suggest that adults consume three servings of milk products or other protein-rich, calcium-fortified alternatives daily to maximize brain health. Fermented milk products such as kefir and yogurt contain probiotics that may positively impact mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Some fermented milk products contain large amounts of added sugar. Therefore, opt for plain kefir and yogurt instead of fruit-flavoured varieties, and read the ingredient list to determine how much added sugar, if any, is in each product.

Brain-healthy foods help to maintain positive cognitive development in children and adults. Add the healthy foods outlined above to your daily diet to enjoy long-term benefits related to your brain function.