Four Things To Know About Feeding Your Brain
A Takeover with Dr. Annie Fenn
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all well. My wife and I are in California this weekend, exploring the city we’ll soon call home. Hint: it’s known for great weather, epic sunsets, and the best fish tacos you’ll ever have. 🌮🌞 Any guesses?
Today we are shaking things up once again -
, author of the substack bestseller @brainhealthkitchen, is taking over my newsletter (and I took over her newsletter!)Please give her a warm welcome as she discusses brain-healthy food that can protect us against cognitive decline & dementia.
Hi, I’m Annie, a physician, culinary instructor, and author of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food. It’s a pleasure to be a guest writer on The Mental Health Movement by Dr. Jake this week!
My mission at Brain Health Kitchen is to help you take care of your brain while still eating delicious food. I founded the Brain Health Kitchen as a cooking school in 2015 after my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Back then, the science of eating to protect brain health was just emerging. Now, 10 years later, we know food is crucial for aging with a vibrant, dementia-free brain. Not only that, certain foods can even help improve memory and thinking skills now, in people of all ages.
The 10 brain-healthy food groups proven to reduce dementia risk are: vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, berries, beans & legumes, nuts, fish & seafood, poultry, extra-virgin olive oil, and nourishing drinks (coffee, tea, and water.) In my book, I added seeds, fermented food, eggs, and good-quality meats in small portions.
Today I want to share 4 things to know about feeding your brain.
The 4F’s of Brain-Healthy Food
Blueberries, olive oil, leafy greens, walnuts, and salmon—you may recognize all of these as foods that are good for the brain. And it’s true: these brain-healthy foods have the power to keep you mentally sharp, stave off anxiety, nourish your gut (which is directly related to your brain health), and even prevent age-related cognitive decline. In other words, this food is actually neuroprotective, working to slow down the aging of your brain.
But what, exactly, is a brain-healthy food? It’s not always easy to know. Though certain foods like walnuts and avocados are unequivocal brain-boosting superstars, most fall somewhere on a spectrum ranging from harmful to protective. That’s why I came up with the concept of the 4F’s of Brain-Healthy Food: a simple rubric to help you choose the best food for your brain. If you remember the 4F’s, you’ll be able to cut through the noise and pick a food that’s good for your brain, every time.
Each of the 4F’s—Fats, Fiber, Flavonoids, and Fit— provide something your brain needs to thrive. A brain-healthy food will possess at least 2 of these four properties.
1. Fats. Foods rich in brain-friendly unsaturated fats—the monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) rather than the less healthy saturated ones—provide essential building blocks for brain cells while making food satiating and delicious. Foods that check this box include avocados, anchovies, extra-virgin olive oil, and walnuts.
How to recognize healthy fats: Find them in cold water fish, fruit-derived oils (like olive and avocado oil), nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Learn more here.
2. Fiber. All the proven brain-protective diets (like the Mediterranean, MIND, and Green MED diets) are mostly plant-based, which means they also provide fiber. This macronutrient slows down the absorption of sugar, binds harmful cholesterol, provides food for beneficial gut microbes, and even acts as a conduit to help deliver nutrients into the bloodstream where they can then travel to the brain. Fiber-rich foods include artichokes, berries, lentils, and whole grains.
How to find fiber: Shoot for eating 30 different plant foods per week to hit target recommended fiber, around 25 grams a day for women and 38 grams a day for men. Learn more here.
3. Flavonoids.The pigments in plants that make them colorful are actually brain health nutrients called flavonoids, a key tool for blocking oxidative stress in the brain. A flavonoid-rich diet has been linked to as much as 50% less Alzheimer’s risk. A 2022 study from Rush University showed that this same flavonoid-rich diet was strongly linked to better performance on cognitive tasks like word retrieval, working memory, and executive function. Find them in foods like berries, capers, pears, green tea, red onions, and grapes.
How to spot flavonoids: Look for deeply hued berries (blue, black, red, and purple), vegetables (yellow, red, dark green, orange, purple), and speckled grains (red and black quinoa) and legumes (black and red beans.) Green tea, olive oil, soy foods (like tofu), citrus fruits, and pears are also excellent sources.
4. Fit. Part of nourishing your brain is choosing foods that fit realistically into your life. This means figuring out which neuroprotective foods you love to eat, that you enjoy cooking, that fit with your budget and your lifestyle.
A food is a good fit if it is:
Big on satisfaction and flavor. This is a food you love and will enjoy often.
Convenient. This food saves you time or otherwise makes life easier (e.g., good-quality instant oatmeal, jarred marinara, or salsa.)
Gives an emotional boost. This food is a good fit for your dietary pattern because it is part of your belief system, connecting you with your heritage, family, friends, or the people who grew or raised the food.
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet may not make sense to you if you grew up in an African-American, Latino, or Asian-American household. Each of these cultures have their own traditional heritage dietary pattern. While these heritage diets may not be as extensively studied as the Mediterranean diet, they are probably just as good for the brain.
Fit is all about creating a brain-healthy way of eating that works for you as an individual. Eating to nourish your brain is a lifelong process, not a diet you go “on” in January only to go “off” a month later.
As you strive to eat for better brain health, be sure to keep the 4F’s in mind. It’s just as important, too, to weed out the foods known to accelerate cognitive decline. Here are my 6 food groups to limit or avoid: fast and fried food, pastries and sweets, full fat dairy products, ultra-processed foods (especially processed dairy and meat), sugar- and artificially-sweetened drinks, and alcohol.
Cheers to your brain health, friends.
A huge thank you to
for taking over this week’s newsletter! As a special treat, she’s offering an exclusive deal for my subscribers. Don’t miss out, it expires on 2/21/25!25% off annual Brain Health Kitchen subscriptions
Thank you for reading.
I’m so grateful you’re here. Thank you for investing in your health and taking steps toward a balanced life. We’re in this together.
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Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content shared is based on evidence-supported research and my personal experiences but is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your personal doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before starting new treatments, making changes to your health routine, or addressing specific medical concerns. This content does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. While I strive for accuracy, the information may not apply to your unique situation.
Wishing you balance, health, and peace.
Dr. Jake
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San Diego?
Good reminder on flavonoids!!