Fish
You may have heard your mother or grandmother describe fish as “brain food.” That’s because these swimmers are brimming with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain function, says Elliot.
“Your brain is made up of mostly fat, so you need to consume them in order to stay sharp and healthy,” she says. The new Dietary Guidelines recommend eating 8 ounces per week to get healthy amounts of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), all of which feed your brain and fight inflammation and chronic disease.
If you’re concerned about mercury, choose salmon, anchovies, herring, shad, sardines, Pacific oysters, trout, and Atlantic and Pacific mackerel (not king mackerel), according to the USDA.
