The brain functions throughout our entire life. It is small in weight but requires a lot of energy. If the food we eat does not meet its nutritional needs, memory and brain function will be affected.
Our 3 Types of Memory
We have three types of memory: short-term, working memory, and long-term memory.
- Short-term memory can only hold information for a brief period, such as when you use it to dial a phone number that someone just told you without writing it down.
- Working memory helps us perform tasks related to thinking and action, such as having a conversation, understanding, and sharing thoughts.
- Long-term memory helps us recall information from many days or even years ago, through a process called consolidation.
How Does Food Affect the Way Memory Works?
A study on elderly adults with memory problems showed that drinking 500 ml of purple grape juice daily for 12 weeks helped them learn more words compared to a placebo group.
In children, eating 240 grams of blueberries helped them remember more words and recall them more accurately after 2 hours. This is because purple grapes and blueberries contain anthocyanins, a plant polyphenol that improves blood flow to the brain, providing energy, nutrients, and oxygen, thus enhancing cognitive performance.
Besides berries, long-term consumption of green tea has also been linked to improvements in short-term memory, working memory, and a reduced risk of cognitive decline.
Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) has a similar effect by improving blood flow to the brain.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and oily fish will help the brain develop and improve memory performance.
On the contrary, studies show that a diet high in refined foods has a negative impact on learning and memory.
One study found that people who consumed a diet high in refined foods for just one week had poorer memory and appetite control. A diet high in refined foods, sugar, and low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber is also associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Therefore, small steps to improve our diet, like adding a piece of fruit to breakfast or more vegetables to dinner, can help improve current memory and protect it for the future.
Source of information: BBC Global