Can What You Eat Affect Your Concentration?

The answer here is a big YES.

Your body is like a machine with many parts working together. If you are looking into foods that help memory and concentration, here are some helpful tips to keep your machine running at optimum levels.

Your brain is the central part of your machine. It’s only 2% of your body weight, but it uses over 20% of your body’s energy believe it or not.

While your brain may carry out millions of tasks each day to keep your body running smoothly, if you don’t take care of it, it can reach a point where it starts to slow down and affect both your memory and your concentration.

Luckily, all your brain needs is a few simple fixes that come in the form of sleep, relaxation and eating the right amounts of the right types of foods.

Just as you wouldn’t put just anything in your car and expect it to run, your brain also needs the right types of foods that help memory and concentration.

As we already know, processed foods are bad for your health. They increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. But did you also know that eating foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats can also have a negative impact on your energy and concentration levels?

Here are some more factors that affect our overall well-being.

Bad Eating Habits

This can be due to a diet that ís low-fat because the brain does need certain essential fatty acids to work properly. And on the other side of the spectrum, diets high in fat also reduce memory and concentration levels.

It can also be due to eating foods high in sugar in sucrose form and simple carbs like white rice and flour, as they result in sugar crashes that greatly reduce concentration levels. I

If your diet is lacking in essential minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin B group and vitamin D, your ability to focus will get worse with time.

Hunger

The reason we get cranky when we’re hungry is that the blood sugar levels drop and so do our energy levels. When we don’t have enough energy, we feel sluggish and are unable to focus on the task at hand.

Dehydration

People donít realize how crucial water is to your concentration levels. Even 1% drop in normal hydration levels can have a negative impact on how well you concentrate. Dehydration can also bring on headaches, low moods and fatigue.

Stimulants

While you may not believe that caffeine can cause a lack of focus, it ís true for all of us, especially for those who drink more than 4 cups per day.

Over time, your body gets used to the large amounts of caffeine coursing through it and decreases its production of neurotransmitters which are responsible for concentration and attention.

Just as there are factors that diminish focus, there are many factors and foods that help memory and concentration

A Nutritious Diet

Those who eat a well-balanced breakfast tend to have a better short-term memory than those who don’t.

A nutritious diet with foods that help memory and concentration should include minerals and vitamins such as:

• Magnesium which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and soothing effect on the brain.
• Zinc is important for the healthy production and performance of neurons and brain cells.
• B vitamins are all known for maintaining good brain health. Thiamine (B1) especially helps boost mental strength and short-term memory. Vitamin B6 is crucial for keeping up focus levels. Vitamin B9 (folate) sustains memory and healthy brain function. If your body is lacking in vitamin B12, it can cause brain fog, confusion and memory loss.
• Vitamin D could be a helping factor because it aids in the production of serotonin, one of the feel-good hormones that help keep you focused and calm.
• Vitamin E keeps up the brainís energy and strength.
• Protein is also very good for concentration because it’s considered the building blocks of the brain. Research shows that a high-protein diet, which includes lean meat, beans, omega-3 fatty acids, beans and nuts, can help improve concentration and focus.

Dietary Supplements

While supplements aren’t substitutes for real food, they can come in handy, especially when your body is lacking in certain minerals and vitamins, and youíre unable to provide them through your daily diet.

Remember To Drink Lots Of Water

Your brain is 85% water.

Your brain can’t function without water. Drink enough water.

Neurotransmitters and hormones produced by the brain rely on water. This is why when you drink enough water, you’ll be able to stay focused and alert for longer.

Knowing what to eat throughout the day can have such an immense effect on your ability to focus and concentrate. It can also greatly impact both your short-term and long-term mental health which can lead to an increase in productivity and efficiency.

Foods That Help Memory And Concentration

Here is a list of some of the foods that help memory and concentration, so you don’t need to think too much:

• Blueberries
• Water
• Green tea
• Leafy green vegetables like broccoli and kale
• Fatty fish
• Water
• Dark chocolate
• Flax seeds
• Avocados
• Nuts like walnuts
• Turmeric
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Oranges
• Eggs
• Beets
• Celery
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Rosemary
• Salmon