Your brain is among the most important organs in your body and needs round-the-clock nourishment to work properly. While there is no magic pill to prevent cognitive decline, no single almighty brain food ensures a sharp brain as you age. Nutritionists emphasise that the most important strategy is to follow a healthy dietary pattern that includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—apart from proteins from both animal and plant sources.

Eating foods that are loaded with saturated fats and refined carbohydrates - especially ultra-processed ones—can damage blood vessels in your brain, thereby increasing the risk of impaired brain function, stroke, and dementia.

According to NYU Langone Neurologist Dr. Aaron Lord, while you may avoid certain foods for your brain health, adopting a healthy diet to slow neurodegeneration and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease includes:

Fresh and fatty fish are a powerhouse of omega-3 fatty acids, linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid, the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of those who have Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Lord suggests incorporating fish at least twice a week in your di but carefully choose varieties that are low in mercury, like salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack. “Some brain-healthy fish that I love are salmon, grouper, and halibut,” he said.

However, if you are a vegetarian or not a fan of fish, you can ask your doctor about taking an omega-3 supplement or sources like flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts.

Leafy green vegetables are a powerhouse of fibre, folate, lutein, and beta-carotene. And so, eating kale, spinach, bok choy, collards, and broccoli not only provides your brain with healthy nutrients like vitamin K but also slows cognitive decline.

Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is crucial for brain health as they help relieve inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are known to cause neurodegeneration. “I love buying the larger grape tomatoes or mandarin-sized tomato medley. They are so versatile — cut them up for salads, stew them for a quick sauce for fish or chicken, or serve them with a little chunk of mozzarella, basil, and olive oil for an appetiser,” said Dr. Lord.

Nuts like walnuts are among the best sources of protein and healthy fats—particularly helpful in improving your memory. According to studies, higher walnut consumption helps improve cognitive test scores. Walnuts are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids known as alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA.

A diet rich in ALA and other omega-3 fatty acids is linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries, which is great for both your heart and brain.

Dr. Lord recommends eating berries daily as they are rich in flavonoids - potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules that help reduce the effects of stress on the brain.

Studies say women who consume two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries every week delay memory decline by up to two and a half years.

“Olive oil has to be one of my favourite brain-healthy foods. I cook with it almost every day,” said Dr. Lord. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which lower bad or LDL cholesterol and increase good or HDL cholesterol.

Apart from cooking with it, you can add olive oil to dressings, dips, soups, and salads for tastier meals.

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