Brain Food: What to eat for memory, focus & mood.
On Wednesday 20th September, Catherine McMahon from DAHA Wellness hosted a relaxed lunchtime talk over green tea in Ubuntu cafe. If you couldn’t join us, here’s a quick recap, practical, science-backed ways to use everyday foods to support memory, focus, and mood.
We all want a brain that feels sharp, focused, and resilient – not foggy or forgetful. The good news is, what you eat each day has a profound effect on how your brain functions, both now and as you age.
The Surprising Truths About Your Brain
- 60% fat: By dry weight, about 60% of your brain is fat, mostly in cell membranes and myelin sheaths. These structures insulate and protect nerve fibres and allow rapid, efficient communication.
- Hydration matters: Even a 1–2% drop in hydration can shrink brain tissue, making concentration and memory harder.
- Your gut talks to your brain: Through the gut–brain axis, microbes produce neurotransmitters and compounds that directly influence mood, motivation, and memory.
- Plant compounds reach the brain: Polyphenols in foods like blueberries, rosemary, and cocoa can cross the blood–brain barrier to protect neurons and promote repair.
- Energy hungry: Though it makes up just 2% of your body weight, your brain uses about 20% of your daily energy. Stable blood sugar is vital for focus and mood.
Key Nutrients for Brain Health
Omega-3 Fats
Around 60% of your brain’s dry weight is fat. Healthy fats — particularly omega-3s — keep cell membranes flexible and support memory and learning. DHA, found in oily fish, algae, and pasture-raised eggs, is the form your brain uses directly. Without enough, brain shrinkage in memory-related areas can occur, increasing dementia risk.
Polyphenols
Found in colourful fruits, vegetables, teas, herbs, and cocoa, polyphenols act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Remarkably, some cross into the brain itself, where they protect neurons and encourage new connections. Regular intake is linked to better memory, faster processing, and reduced risk of cognitive decline.
B Vitamins
B6, B12, and folate are essential for neurotransmitter production (serotonin, dopamine, GABA) and for recycling homocysteine, a compound that can damage brain tissue when levels run too high. Deficiency is linked with low mood, brain fog, and increased dementia risk. Rich sources include leafy greens, legumes, seeds, fish, and eggs.
Choline
Choline is needed for acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter vital for memory and learning, and for building brain cell membranes. Sources include eggs, cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, legumes, and fish. Some gut bacteria can convert excess choline from animal foods into TMAO, which increases cardiovascular risk, so balance between plant and animal sources is best.
Minerals
- Magnesium calms nerve signals and aids memory formation.
- Zinc supports learning, mood, and smell (loss of smell is an early sign of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s).
- Iron delivers oxygen and makes dopamine, critical for motivation and focus.
- Iodine helps regulate thyroid hormones that drive brain energy.
Even mild deficiencies in these minerals can slow thinking and increase stress sensitivity.
Eating for Brain Performance
- Balance blood sugar: Pair carbs with protein, healthy fat, and fibre to avoid spikes and crashes that cause brain fog and long-term damage.
- Eat the rainbow: Plant colours represent protective phytochemicals. Blues/purples support memory, greens aid processing speed, reds and oranges combat oxidative stress. A varied diet also feeds the gut microbiome, which influences mood and cognition.
- Mind your timing: Heavy carb-rich meals can cause energy dips. A 12–14 hour overnight fast may boost morning clarity for some, but isn’t for everyone.
The Gut–Brain Connection
Your gut and brain are in constant dialogue via the vagus nerve. Up to 90% of messages travel from the gut to the brain.
Microbes in the gut:
- Produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA.
- Ferment fibre into short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation and protect the blood–brain barrier.
- Influence stress response.
Disruptions (from poor diet, stress, medications) can trigger inflammation and “leaky gut,” fuelling anxiety, depression, brain fog, and long-term cognitive risk.
Support your gut–brain axis with:
- A fibre-rich, colourful diet.
- Fermented foods (if tolerated).
- Polyphenol-rich foods like berries and green tea.
- Stress management to keep vagus nerve function strong.
Lifestyle Add-Ons for Brain Performance
- Hydration: About 75–80% of your brain’s volume is water. Even mild dehydration can impair memory and focus. Steady fluid intake is best.
- Movement: Walking, stretching, dancing, or chair-based exercises increase blood flow and neuroplasticity. Add more vigorous activity if able.
- Sleep: Deep sleep activates the glymphatic system, which clears toxins (including those linked to Alzheimer’s). It’s also when memories consolidate, emotions process, and growth hormone repairs brain cells. Poor sleep shrinks the hippocampus over time.
- Stress management: Chronic cortisol can shrink the hippocampus. Simple practices like breathing, meditation, or time in nature lower stress and protect memory.
Final Thoughts
Your brain is an energy-hungry, finely tuned organ that depends on the right inputs to perform at its best, every single day. By giving it quality fats, steady energy from balanced meals, plenty of micronutrients, hydration, movement, restorative sleep, and stress management, you’re not just supporting focus and memory today, you’re building resilience and protecting brain health for decades to come. Small, consistent actions create long-term change, and every choice you make is an investment in how clearly you think, how well you feel, and how long your brain stays strong.
