Amen University
The saying "you are what you eat" couldn’t be more true when it comes to your brain health. Food is fuel, and learning what makes you feel energized and helps you focus has a positive ripple effect in other areas like your emotional, physical, and even social life.
Nutrition plays a powerful role in how well your brain functions and essentially influences your memory, focus, energy levels, and overall mental clarity. While you may be aware of the importance of a healthy diet, it’s equally essential to understand which foods can hurt your brain.
Evaluating your lifestyle to identify unhealthy habits and replacing them with brain-boosting strategies can make all the difference. This article will guide you through Dr. Daniel Amen’s list of the eight worst brain foods, as well as healthy brain foods to eat instead.
1. Sugary Snacks and Beverages: The Silent Focus Killers
Excessive sugar consumption is one of the worst offenders for brain health. High sugar intake has been linked to memory problems and decreased cognitive function over time. Studies show high sugar diets can reduce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a protein essential for learning and memory.
To improve memory and focus, swap sugary snacks for fresh fruits like blueberries, which are rich in antioxidants and have been shown to improve brain processing speed. Choose water infused with lemon or mint instead of sugary sodas that can help you feel refreshed throughout the day and boost memory naturally.
2. Artificial Sweeteners: The Hormone Disruptors
While often marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar, artificial sweeteners can disrupt brain function and hormone balance. Aspartame, a common sweetener, has been linked to higher risks of stroke, dementia, neurotoxicity, and mood disorders. These effects can hinder memory and focus, making it harder to stay sharp.
To treat memory loss associated with poor dietary choices, aim for natural sweeteners like stevia, agave, monk fruit, or raw honey in moderation. These alternatives can provide sweetness to help reduce your sugar intake and prevent further harm to your brain.
3. Processed Foods: Energy Vampires
Processed foods like chips, frozen meals, and fast food are loaded with unhealthy fats, sodium, and preservatives. These ingredients can cause inflammation, which negatively affects brain health. A study in JAMA Neurology revealed that a diet high in processed foods is associated with a 25% increased risk of cognitive decline with reduced executive function that regulates behavior.
For better memory help through diet, focus on whole foods that center on nutrient dense ingredients like dark leafy greens, lean proteins, berries, nuts, and seeds. Preparing meals at home using fresh ingredients is one of the best ways to enhance memory and improve your overall health and energy.
4. Trans Fats: The Weight and Brain Burden
Trans fats, often found in baked goods and margarine, are notorious for harming physical and brain health. They can decrease brain volume and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Recent research highlights how trans fats can impair learning and memory by triggering oxidative stress in brain cells and decreasing brain-protective protein activity. Essentially, you need to ensure your brain is getting as much oxygen-rich blood flow and as many brain-healthy nutrients as possible.
To boost memory and focus, avoid products with “partially hydrogenated oils” on their labels. Instead, cook with healthy fats like olive oil or avocado oil, which are known to improve brain function and memory and support a healthy brain and heart.
5. Alcohol: The Cognitive Impairment Culprit
Excessive alcohol consumption can have a profound negative impact on the brain, impairing memory, decision-making, and focus. Even moderate drinking can shrink the brain’s hippocampus, the region responsible for long-term memory and emotional regulation.
There is promising research that shows quitting alcohol may reverse brain shrinking, which means there can be a path forward to treat memory loss if you’re struggling with alcohol.
To protect your brain, limit alcohol intake and seek encouragement from a support group or trusted family and friends. You can replace the booze with brain-boosting beverages like antioxidant-rich green tea or turmeric lattes that can help boost memory naturally.
6. Fried Foods: Inflammation’s Best Friend
Some of the best comfort foods can be some of the most detrimental if not eaten in moderation or as part of a healthy food lifestyle. Foods, such as French fries and fried chicken, can contribute to chronic inflammation in the body and brain, which is a key factor in cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
A study published in Neurology found that the Mediterranean-style diet—which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins—alongside the preventative DASH eating plan significantly reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and decline.
To improve memory and reduce inflammation, opt for baked or air-fried versions of your favorite dishes. You can also add spices like turmeric, cumin, and ginger to your meals consistently to further help combat inflammation.
7. Excessive Caffeine: The Anxiety Amplifier
While caffeine in moderation can improve alertness, excessive amounts can lead to anxiety, restlessness, and disrupted sleep—all of which harm cognitive function. Poor sleep, in particular, affects the brain’s ability to consolidate memories, focus during the day, rest at night, and even choose healthy foods.
If you’re looking for things to boost memory, try reducing caffeine intake and switching to herbal teas like chamomile, honey lavender, and peppermint to promote relaxation and mental clarity. This can help you reduce anxiety throughout the day and achieve deeper sleep at night.
8. Highly Salty Foods: The Blood Pressure Boosters
Though it's one of the most common seasonings and a necessary mineral for healthy bodily functions, it’s important to note that too much of a good thing is still too much. Foods high in salt, especially from canned and processed foods, can lead to high blood pressure, which reduces blood flow to the brain. This impairs cognitive function, increases risk of dementia, and triggers inflammation that further damages brain cells.
Choosing low-sodium options has been proven to significantly improve brain performance in older adults. One of the best ways to enhance memory is to replace those super salty snacks with fresh foods like raw vegetables dipped in hummus or sliced apples with unsalted almond butter. These nutrient-dense alternatives support brain health and overall wellness.
Next Steps to Boost Memory Naturally
Your brain is one of—if not the most—vital organs you have yet it’s often one of the most neglected. But now you can do something about how well you treat your brain. You have to eat food every day to live, but just surviving can be exhausting. There’s a way to get your brain and body to thrive with the fuel you feed it on a daily basis.
There’s always room to treat yourself, but avoiding the worst brain foods and making smarter dietary choices is the first step to protecting your mental, emotional, and physical well-being for years to come.
The insights shared in Amen University’s Brain Thrive by 25 course, led by Dr. Daniel Amen and Jesse Payne, Ed.D., goes beyond nutrition with proven strategies to improve your brain health now and in the future.
