Inspired by reading The XX Brain by Dr Lisa Mosconi, team member Justine, and volunteer dietitian Chris Cheyette, look at the Get Loose products with evidence for supporting brain health for everyone.

Our brains are the most metabolically active organ in our bodies, demanding 20% of our total energy needs! It is also one of the most vulnerable to a poor diet.

A healthy, and balanced, diet can have measurable effects on brain health and function, boost energy levels, while reducing insomnia and anxiety. Food has even been discovered to have an epigenetic function, switching on or off hundreds of thousands of genes. Serious stuff.

A wide range of health outcomes research, including studies on brain health, has explored the benefits of the "Mediterranean Diet”. This diet emphasises plenty of plant based foods, olive oil, with small amounts of meat and fish. However, this is not suitable for all dietary preferences, or cultural needs. An interesting article from the British Dietetic Association looks at this issue and has links to some of the research.

In a brain imaging study those who followed a Mediterranean Diet had healthier and younger looking brains than those following a modern highly processed western diet.

Fibre

The average UK adult is getting less than half the recommended 30g of fibre per day.

We stock lots of high fibre foods to help boost your meals and snacks. From dried fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, grains, wholewheat pastas, oats, muesli and even Spudos!

Essentially, lots of fibre equals happy microbes, and this makes for a well functioning brain.

We have a whole blog post on this topic, as we consider it super important HERE.

Wholegrains

Studies seem to show that as well as being great for brain health, eating wholegrains is also helpful at reducing the risk of heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

We stock; wholewheat couscous, granola, long grain brown rice, short grain brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, oats, wholewheat pastas, popcorn.

Find out more about this important topic in our blog post HERE.

Sweet Things

Our dark chocolate is 70% cacao. This is rich in theobromine, a strong antioxidant to support cellular aging. Trials show consuming chocolate with a high cacao content improved attention and memory in healthy adults.

We stock dark chocolate buttons, and dark chocolate almonds, the perfect afternoon “pick me up”. Just stick to around 4 per day! The great thing about them being loose is you can ration yourself as needed.

Plus, as the occasional treat, we suggest a Stegos, a whole date (fibre ✅) with a cacao nib inside, wrapped in dark chocolate with almonds (more fibre) and a little sea salt.

Instead of refined sugar, use raw honey or maple syrup (which we stock) are better options. Although our sugar is unrefined, for when those baking recipes need it.

Antioxidants

Our brains suffer the most from oxidative stress. This is the production of free radicals in our body, and brain, and our ability to control them. Antioxidant levels need to be higher than the free radicals to control them.

Antioxidants include; vitamins C, E, Beta Carotene, selenium, lycopene and anthocyanin. These all help maintain brain energy levels.

Products we stock that include these are; olive oil, brazil nuts, basil, blueberries, coriander, cinnamon, cocoa, cumin, ginger, hibiscus tea, kidney beans, mustard seeds, oregano, parsley, pecans, rosemary, thyme, turmeric (herbs are all dried).

Omega 3

While our brains need Omega 3 and Omega 6, most western diets have too much 6 and not enough 3!

Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory, mood balancing and good for bone health.

We stock the following items high in omega 3; salmon, mackerel, tuna, anchovies, sardines, beans, linseeds (flaxseeds), chia, olives, olive oil, almonds, soya based products (tofu, tempeh).

In conclusion

It’s never too late to make dietary changes that will impact your brain health. Even if you follow a pretty healthy diet, there are always little tweaks that will help.

For example;

Add seeds (especially linseeds), or nuts, to your breakfast.
Make your own daily snack pot; 1 fig, 1 prune, 2 apricots, 2 brazil nuts, 4 chocolate almonds.
Swap to wholewheat pasta
Swap to wholegrain rice
Try a new wholegrain
If you eat fish, have oily fish with your lunch once a week

Recipe ideas

We have lots of recipes on our website to help you be inspired HERE.

Finally consider subscribing to a Growing Communities veg / fruit bag. Collection is at Hackney City Farm from 6pm Wednesday until 4pm Friday. Making picking it up flexible. A seasonal bag can help you eat a wider variety of vegetables, find new recipes and eat more fibre! Your gut bacteria will love you.