The human brain is quite miraculous. It can help us walk, talk, move, see, smell, remember, and most of all, think. Keeping this organ in good working condition is a hallmark of a healthy human experience. But how can we help the brain develop from a young child and maintain all the cognitive functions needed throughout adulthood and into our senior years? Key components to keeping a healthy brain throughout your lifespan is to remain active, continue learning, and eat a diet that can boost your brain health.
Let’s take a deeper dive into how a diet rich in fish can be one of those components of a healthy human diet that can help boost your brain power.
Did you know that fish is brain food? According to researcher Dr. John A. Boockvar, an assistant professor of brain surgery at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College. “Unless it’s fish that has a lot of mercury, it’s not going to harm you, and we know it improves brain functioning.”
Fish Can Help in Brain Development
Women who are pregnant often look for foods that can help their developing child even while still in the womb. According to the experts at Harvard Health Publishing, a part of the Harvard Medical School, pregnant women should consider adding fish low in mercury to their diet in order to benefit from an omega-3 fatty acid (found in fish) known as DHA which is an important for forming new brain cells. According to their research, women can safely consume up to 12 ounces of seafood per week.
Fish Can Support Memory
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, some of the best menu items for supporting a healthy memory is by following a Mediterranean diet. This type of diet includes: adequate omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish, berries which are a rich source of anthocyanin, walnuts, and veggies, both which have needed nutrients for brain health.
Seafood in particular is a great source of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. By adding one or two servings of fish such as salmon, bluefin tuna, sardines or herring, the brain can reap the benefits of this critical fatty acid.
Omega- 3 fatty acids are absolutely essential for growth and development. Meals that consist of fish can potentially increase grey matter in the brain and reduce age related deterioration. Grey matter is the major functional tissue in your brain containing the neurons that process information and store memories.
Fish has often been considered a superfood merely because of its positive health impacts on the heart, but the brain also benefits from one or two servings a day of this deliciously flavorful food! Don’t forget to check out our retail fish options for you and your family’s brain health.
