A Neurologist and Alzheimer's Expert Share Their Go-To Snacks for Brain Power
The dreaded afternoon slump. It’s something everyone experiences—even people whose job it is to know the inner workings of how the brain works. Scientific studies have shown that people are more likely to make unhealthy food choices when they’re tired, reaching for foods high in calories and low in nutrient value. These types of foods actually lead to feeling more fatigued—a particularly cruel result.
If you want your afternoon snack to work for you instead of against you, brain health experts have some tips to keep in mind. Keep reading to find out what snacks they reach for when they hit an afternoon slump as well as some general food rules to follow when eating for energy.
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Go-To Snacks for Brain Power According to Brain Health Experts
When Dr. Raphael Wald, PsyD, a neurologist with Baptist Health Marcus Neuroscience Institute, needs an energy boost, he reaches for something with beans and whole grains. He explains that this combination is high in protein and fiber, two nutrients that provide sustained energy for the body and brain. What does a snack with beans and whole grains look like exactly? It can be hummus with whole grain crackers, black beans on a whole grain tortilla, or white beans on whole grain bread—to name three examples.
Dr. Annie Fenn, MD, a physician and chef focused on Alzheimer’s prevention and the author of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food, says that when she needs an energizing snack, she incorporates foods high in unsaturated fats, like nuts, avocado or olive oil. She also chooses foods that contain flavonoids—bioactive substances found in colorful foods important for memory and focus. Dr. Fenn explains that flavonoids fight inflammation in the brain and spark circuits that improve memory and focus. “I’ll eat a small packet of olives, a cup of blueberries, half an avocado drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, an apple or pear dipped in almond butter, or one of my homemade blueberry banana hemp muffins,” she says, listing some of her favorite snacks for brain power.
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Some other brain-supporting snacks Dr. Fenn recommends when energy starts to dip include whole grain crackers topped with canned sardines, easy-to-peel citrus like Mandarin oranges or clementines, a cup of unsweetened, unflavored yogurt topped with hemp or chia seeds, whole grain toast smeared with good quality almond or peanut butter, a cluster of grapes, a hard-boiled egg, or a square of dark chocolate pressed into a Medjool date. All of these foods contain either flavonoids, unsaturated fats or fiber—all nutrients the experts say support brain health.
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Other Tips for Eating for Brain Power
When choosing a snack for brain power, Dr. Fenn says to focus on selecting foods that are unprocessed and low in sugar. And again, she says to pick foods that contain unsaturated fats. “Unsaturated fats provide fuel for the brain without setting off an inflammatory cascade, like you would get with saturated fats found in processed sweets, fried food and most snack foods,” she says. Like Dr. Wald, she also says to choose foods high in fiber, which helps maintain stable blood glucose levels and avoid brain fog-inducing sugar crashes.
Sugary snacks may seem like they will provide the brain and body with energy, but they come with an intense crash that will be extra hard to power through. In addition to avoiding foods high in sugar, Dr. Wald says to steer clear of foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners too; they aren’t any better for energy or for health.
Dr. Wald says that foods high in simple carbohydrates (like white bread and pastries) can also lead to feeling fatigued instead of more energized. This is because they raise tryptophan levels, which makes us feel tired. It’s the opposite effect of complex carbohydrates (like whole grains), which is why Dr. Wald says to incorporate whole grains into your afternoon snack instead of white bread or other flour-based foods.
By focusing on foods with whole grains, fiber, unsaturated fats and flavonoids, your snack will be one that will help you power through the afternoon instead of leaving you lusting after your bed. These foods will lead to sustained energy and mood, a mindful win in more ways than one!
Next up, find out what the absolute worst food for brain health is, according to brain health experts.
Sources
Dr. Raphael Wald, PsyD, a neurologist with Baptist Health Marcus Neuroscience Institute
Dr. Annie Fenn, MD, a physician and chef focused on Alzheimer’s prevention and the author of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food