Brain & nervous systemGeneral wellnessNutrition

4 foods your brain will love

Nourish yourself for better brainpower.

Jan, 2026
LearnBrain health4 foods your brain will love
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Blueberries
Dark Chocolate
Nuts
Green Tea
Foods to Avoid

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Eating a wholesome, balanced diet can power your body, lower your risk of chronic disease, and help you maintain a healthy weight. But those aren’t the only reasons you should focus on nutritious foods. They may be able to boost your brainpower, too.

“I always advise people to eat around the color wheel, which supports not only body health, but mind health,” says Tanzila Kulman, MD, a neurologist in Baltimore. “There's no one food that is the answer, but you have to educate yourself and read labels.”

With that in mind, here are a few delicious, easy-to-find foods for potentially better brain function.

Written byAna Lopez.
Medically reviewed byGaby Vaca-Flores, RD.June, 2024
Sources: Kalt W + 24
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  4. Krikorian R, Skelton MR, Summer SS, et al. Blueberry Supplementation in Midlife for Dementia Risk Reduction. Nutrients. 2022 Apr 13;14(8):1619.
  5. Harvard Health Publishing. A flavanol-rich diet may increase brain function. March 1, 2021.
  6. Socci V, Tempesta D, Desideri G, De Gennaro L, Ferrara M. Enhancing Human Cognition with Cocoa Flavonoids. Front Nutr. 2017 May 16;4:19.
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  8. Kozłowska A, Szostak-Węgierek D. Targeting Cardiovascular Diseases by Flavonols: An Update. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 30;14(7):1439.
  9. Gratton G, Weaver SR, Burley CV, et al. Dietary flavanols improve cerebral cortical oxygenation and cognition in healthy adults. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 24;10(1):19409.
  10. Desideri G, Kwik-Uribe C, et al. Benefits in Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure, and Insulin Resistance Through Cocoa Flavanol Consumption in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment. Hypertension. 2012;60:794–801.
  11. Calabrò RS, De Cola MC, Gervasi G, et al. The Efficacy of Cocoa Polyphenols in the Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Study. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 May 17;55(5):156.
  12. Chauhan A, Chauhan V. Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients. 2020 Feb 20;12(2):550.
  13. Kathy Beerman. Can walnut consumption benefit brain health? American Society for Nutrition. January 16, 2020.
  14. Cutuli D. Functional and Structural Benefits Induced by Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids During Aging. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2017;15(4):534-542.
  15. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. July 18, 2022.
  16. NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Green Tea. Last updated October 2020.
  17. Unno K, Nakamura Y. Green Tea Suppresses Brain Aging. Molecules. 2021 Aug 12;26(16):4897.
  18. Mancini E, Beglinger C, Drewe J, et al. Green tea effects on cognition, mood and human brain function: A systematic review. Phytomedicine. 2017 Oct 15;34:26-37.
  19. Baba Y, Inagaki S, Nakagawa S, Kaneko T, et al. Effect of Daily Intake of Green Tea Catechins on Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Subjects: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Molecules. 2020 Sep 17;25(18):4265.
  20. Xu R, Yang K, Ding J, Chen G. Effect of green tea supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Feb;99(6):e19047.
  21. Xu, R., Yang, K., Li, S. et al. Effect of green tea consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr J 19, 48 (2020).
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  23. Harvard Medical School. Sugar and the Brain. Spring 2016.
  24. Alzheimer’s Society. Diabetes and the Risk of Dementia. Reviewed December 2023.
  25. Mayo Clinic. Vascular Dementia. July 29, 2021.

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