This simple breakfast is excellent for your brain!
We've all heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is it true? The answer to this age-old question is that breakfast can significantly impact our current and future health. Breakfast has been linked to a lower risk of weight gain and a lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that meal timing and the circadian rhythm play a significant role in how food is digested, absorbed, and utilized in the body. So, if we know that eating breakfast is generally a good idea, how can our breakfast choices improve brain function?
Breakfast is the first meal after a period of fasting while sleeping. Our blood sugar levels are low when we first wake up, affecting our cognition. You may have had this experience: you wake up, rush out the door for work without eating, arrive at your desk, and are unsure what tasks you should be performing. Breakfast is your first chance of the day to feed your brain and set your blood sugar curve in motion.
A breakfast that includes protein, healthy fats, fiber, and some produce is ideal for optimal blood sugar control and peak cognitive performance. So, while eating a balanced breakfast can help you start your day off right, what about keeping your mind sharp in the long run?
A breakfast that includes multiple food categories from the Mediterranean diet is one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp. Chia seed pudding with berries is a brain-boosting breakfast that will keep you full for hours while nourishing your brain. Chia seeds are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and calcium from plants. To make a nutrient-dense base, chia seeds are combined with non-dairy milk, such as cashew milk and cinnamon.
A cup of berries as a topping will provide powerful antioxidants and additional nutrients. Add other toppings like slivered almonds and raw cacao for more powerful plant compounds and healthy fats.
According to research, eating a diet closely resembles a Mediterranean-style diet is ideal for maintaining optimal brain function. Although more research is needed to determine whether or not this diet can prevent or delay cognitive disorders such as dementia, studies show that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is linked to slower cognitive decline.
A Mediterranean-style diet
emphasizes fruits and vegetables, seafood, healthy fats from olives, nuts and
seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices, among other things. The diet also encourages
people to consume dairy and poultry in moderation while limiting processed
foods, added sugars, and red meat consumption.
