Brain vitamins are more important than you think. Most of us know that vitamins and nutrients are important to our body, but when was the last time you considered what vitamins your brain needs to function at its highest level? Is? Many vitamins have a proven effect on brain function, and neglecting to solve this problem can limit our brain’s ability to function, and even increase our risk of cognitive decline as we age.
There are many vitamins for overall mental health, but we are going to look at the most powerful vitamins today.
Antioxidants are a great place to start our journey. Antioxidants help our bodies (and brains) protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals that build up as we age. Our brain contains more than 50% fat tissue, which puts our brain at greater risk of damage from free radicals than the rest of our bodies. High doses of antioxidants can help slow down the oxidation process and reduce our risk for the negative mental effects associated with aging.
Antioxidants are the two best vitamins for the brain, Vitamin E and Vitamin C. A University of Copenhagen study found a link between vitamin C and guinea pigs to local memory development (because they rely on external sources of vitamin C and ‘don’t make it in their bodies like humans’). Without enough vitamin C, he lacked memory skills. So not only is vitamin C a powerful antioxidant, but it also has other proven effects on the brain.
Now that you may be convinced, let’s take a look at some foods that are high in these vitamins.
Vitamin C can be found in many fruits and vegetables. The highest amounts of vitamin C can be found in deep-leafed greens such as oranges, strawberries, chili peppers, yellow and red bell peppers, and black.
Vitamin E can be obtained from a variety of foods, including a variety of nuts and seeds, as well as vegetable oils, spinach and broccoli.
You may be thinking, “I’m too young to start worrying about memory loss, it doesn’t affect me.” Did you know that we really started to lose some memory in our 20's? Memory loss does not only affect seniors, and it is not necessary to start early to prevent loss of mental abilities.
Folic acid can be found in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, and whole grains. It can also be found in fortified foods such as bread, pasta and white rice.
They are the “Big 3” brain vitamins. If you take only 3 vitamins for mental health, vitamins C, E, and B9 are a great place to start.
