In previous blog posts, we have discussed the role of fat, protein, and non-starchy vegetables in a promoting cognitive health. Including healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, or fish, with each meal is an important foundation to a brain-healthy diet. Combining your healthy fats with lean proteins and lots of veggies provide an endless number of delicious meal combinations. When choosing carbohydrates, remember to focus on minimally processed options without added sugars, such as sweet potatoes, rice, and oats.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, how do you build meals and snacks?
It is often easiest to evaluate your current eating habits and make small changes to increase fat, protein, or non-starchy vegetable intake or modify carbohydrate intake. By doing this you can continue to eat many of the foods and meals that you enjoy, just appropriately planned to focus on brain-healthy nutrients. For example, if you enjoy eggs, toast, and juice in the morning you can switch it up by making a veggie-filled scramble topped with avocado and serve it with fresh fruit.
Here are some delicious meal and snack ideas to try:
- Cook eggs in olive oil or coconut oil with sautéed vegetables, top with avocado, and serve with fresh fruit
- Stir coconut oil into steel-cut oatmeal, top with nuts and seeds, served with hard boiled egg or glass of kefir
- Top full-fat plain yogurt with fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds
- Make a low sugar smoothie by blending together full-fat plain yogurt or kefir with frozen berries, avocado, or nut butter.
- Make pancakes or waffles using almond meal instead of flour and top with nut butter, applesauce, or a drizzle of honey.
Lunch and Dinner Ideas:
- Stir-fry with colorful veggies and protein over quinoa
- Hearty salad topped with salmon, nuts, avocado, and fruit
- Soft tacos made with fish, poultry, or beans topped with salsa and avocado on corn tortilla
- Avocado drizzled with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
- Mixed nuts
- Fruit and almond butter
- Muffin make with almond meal
As you can see, eating for brain health is delicious! For more information on a brain-healthy diet visit www.affirmativhealth.com.