Nourishing the brain
Our brains house our minds and thoughts, control our actions, store our memories, and are responsible for our emotions, dreams, and decisions. To deliver messages across our bodies, we rely on hormones and neurotransmitters, which receive signals from our organs and send them to our muscles. For this complex system to work, we need the right nutrients, provided by the right food.
Understanding the brain
Our brains tell us of our bodies’ need for food – when we are hungry, thirsty, full, or satisfied with a meal. These and many of the functions of the brain and central nervous system operate at an unconscious level, using biochemical influences to respond to sensors in our mouth, stomach, gut, blood stream and the brain itself. These biochemical influences include hormones and neurotransmitters, which deliver messages throughout the body.
There are 50 different hormones, grouped into four types - amino acid derived, peptides, steroids, and eicosanoid. Broadly, these are responsible for regulating sleep, keeping our skin and reproductive systems healthy, getting rid of toxins and bringing nutrients into our body.
There are over 200 identified neurotransmitters, often grouped into - amino acids, peptides, monoamines, purines, gasotransmitters, catecholamines and acetylcholine. Broadly, these are responsible for happiness, social engagement, sleep, motivation, memory and learning, plus the ability to plan ahead, stay calm, focus and pay attention.
Each hormone and neurotransmitter has a different purpose and level of importance, but four of the major ones to consider for brain health are:
Dopamine
Affects…
How our brains respond to reward. It is produced after pleasurable acts and influences movements, mental alertness, and sensations of pleasure and pain.
Low levels can cause…
Forgetfulness, moodiness, lack of concentration, and fatigue.
To raise levels, eat…
Foods rich in tyrosine, an amino acid in which dopamine is made from. This includes almonds, chicken, fish, eggs.
Serotonin
Affects…
Memory, mood, social behaviour, appetite, digestion, sexual desire, sleep-wake cycles, our internal clock, and how much we feel pain and our internal clock.
Low levels can cause
Poor memory, depression, anxiety and irritability.
To raise levels, eat…
Foods rich in tryptophan, an amino acid which aids in production of serotonin. This includes food such as salmon, milk, eggs, spinach, seeds.
Endorphins
Affect…
How much we feel pleasure and pain, and are sometimes known as the brain’s ‘feel good’ chemicals. They also affect levels of empathy and enhance immune response.
Low levels can cause…
Greater feelings of stress and lower tolerance to pain.
To raise levels, eat…
Spicy foods and cacao or dark chocolate have been found to increase endorphin levels.
Oxytocin
Affects…
The strength of contractions during childbirth and stimulates milk for breastfeeding. Known as the 'kissing hormone’ as it strengthens social bonds..
Low levels can cause…
Low empathy, aggression and stress.
To raise levels, eat…
Salmon, dark chocolate, figs, spinach and avocado have been found to increase oxytocin levels in some cases.
It is important to note that although there is evidence to suggest certain foods up-regulate hormones and endorphins, health and nutrition must also be considered more widely. Growing research indicates that our gut microbiome plays an important role in manufacturing hormones and chemicals, with approximately 90% of serotonin made in the gut. Importantly, the composition of our microbiome is directly influenced by the food we eat. To optimise our gut microbial health we should look at consuming a diverse diet, abundant in plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits and pulses alongside a sufficient amount of oily fish, meat, milk or eggs and good protein sources.
Getting the right nutrients
Nutrients are molecules in food that we need to give our bodies energy, and to grow, develop and reproduce.
By Understanding the brain, we can better fuel our bodies with The right food and nutrients to enhance the health and function of our brains. This means making sure that our diet contains all of the nutrients required to maintain and operate our nerve cells, neurotransmitters and hormones. There are two major types of nutrients:
Macronutrients
Carbohydrates: the body’s main source of energy, providing quick energy boosts. They break down to glucose to provide the large amounts of energy used by the brain.
Proteins: are broken down into amino acids. These are then used to help to build and repair tissue, to help the body manage its structure, to fight infection or converted into hormones and neurotransmitters.
Fats: provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates, they form cell membranes and fat stores cushion organs. They help the body to absorb certain vitamins. They include the omega 3 long chain fatty acids Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Micronutrients
Vitamins and minerals that are essential for energy production and synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters. These include the vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K, folate (vitamin B9), flavonoids (vitamin P), iron, iodine, calcium, magnesium, zinc & selenium
To carry nutrients into our body and brain effectively, we rely on fatty acids.
Fatty acids have biological, structural and functional roles, and act as a key source of energy.
Types of fatty acid
Fatty acids play an important part in the brain and the body. They provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates, and they are the building blocks of all our cell membranes, of the fat in our bodies, and of many signalling molecules that control inflammation. After we eat, our bodies break down fat into fatty acids, which are absorbed into the blood and help the brain to absorb other important nutrients. There are three different types of fatty acids, and it is important to include all of them in a healthy diet:
Saturated fatty acids
Sources include:
Butter, lard, ghee, ice cream, fatty cuts of meat
Identifiable as:
Solid at room temperature and liquid when heated
Monounsaturated fatty acids
Sources include:
Olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, nuts such as almonds, and avocados
Identifiable as:
Solid when refrigerated and liquid at room temperature
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
Sources include:
Oily fish, vegetable and seed oils
Identifiable as:
Liquid both at room temperature and in the refrigerator
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
All fats have important roles to play in the brain and the body. However, omega-3 and omega-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are critically important:
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA – omega 3) and Arachidonic acid (ARA – omega 6) form the basis of all cell membranes
Together with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA – omega 3) they give rise to ‘cytokine’ signaling molecules which probably help our bodies to better manage physical trauma and inflammation
Probably protect against neurodegenerative diseases and stroke.
Balancing omega-6 and omega-3
Our bodies can produce these long chains from shorter precursor ‘essential’ fatty acids found in plant seeds only very slowly. So we need to obtain them from the food we eat. It is not only important that they form part of our food intake, but that we consume them in a balanced way.
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in modern diets typically ranges from 10:1 to 30:1, but research suggests that a far healthier ratios would be from 1:1 to 4:1. As such, it is important to eat the right foods to make sure that we consume the right kinds of fatty acids, at the right level.
Structure of fatty acids
All fatty acids have the same basic structure. What makes them different is their length and degree of ‘saturation’. Long-chain polyunsaturated acids are much more effective than short-chains.
Short-chain omega-3
In the body:
Short-chain omega-3 and omega-6 compete for the same enzymes to saturate.
Impact:
Due to a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in most modern diets, less long chain omega-3s get made, which means that we do not receive all the benefits of omega-3 DHA and EPA for our neuro-development and brain health.
Found in:
Non-marine sources, such as certain nuts, seeds, flaxseed, and rapeseed oil.
Long-chain omega-3
In the body:
DHA makes up 20% of all cell membranes, enabling rapid nerve transmission. Both DHA and EPA contribute to anti-inflammatory control.
Impact:
Several health benefits, including enhanced neuro-development, better recovery from brain damage, improved mood, more focused attention, less severe mental health issues, and slower brain ageing.
Found in:
Marine sources, such as oily fish (including mackerel, sardines, salmon and tuna).
Discover our top 10 nutrients for brain health
There are several nutrients that help to enhance brain health. Click the below to discover our top 10.