1. Refined Carbs
Refined carbs like sugar and processed grains quickly increase your blood sugar levels, decreasing your brain function and affecting your memory.
Such refined carbs’ glycemic index (GI) is often high, meaning they quickly digest, increasing blood sugar and insulin levels.
Furthermore, when consumed in significant quantities, these meals create a high glycemic load (GL) in your body (GL indicates how much a food elevates blood sugar levels per serving).
People who consume a lot of fat and refined sugar have poorer memory. The memory effect may be due to inflammation of your hippocampus (the brain region that impacts memory and reactivity to hunger).
Inflammation is a risk factor for degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
Foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains are examples of low-GI carbohydrates which are good for the brain.
Do note that Carbs aren’t all terrible. Whole grains benefit your health and are one of the best foods for your brain.
Fiber is present in carbs like whole-grain bread and brown rice pasta that your body digest more slowly, helping to control your blood sugar better. Moreover, you’ll have a consistent energy supply to help you concentrate more.
2. Processed meat
Those who eat highly-processed meats, including sausages, cured meats, and pâté, have a higher risk of dementia, according to research published in Neurology in April 2020.
Dementia is a word that refers to a group of symptoms that affect a person’s cognitive abilities. It primarily affects their capacity to think, recall, and reason which worsens with time.
Although the above study couldn’t establish cause and effect, several studies show that consuming highly processed proteins isolates your central nervous system, increasing the risk of developing a degenerative brain disease like Alzheimer’s.
In contrast, natural proteins such as eggs or beans are the building blocks of muscles, and eating more of such proteins, helps your body to operate appropriately. Beans are a fantastic source of protein (saturated fat-free), magnesium, B vitamins, and other brain-boosting nutrients.
We advise that you make beans the focal point of your dish instead of items that induce memory loss, such as steak.