5 Brain Boosting Snacks

oatmeal

Morning FuelYou’ve heard it countless times: you are what you eat. Sigh. How unfortunate is that? It’s especially daunting to think about considering the fact that we’re just a couple short weeks removed from Thanksgiving.

However, ditching the junk food and feeding your body the right things has some major short and long-term health benefits.  Not only will you feel healthier, but eating right can also pump your morale up, help your concentration, and give you better fuel to help you get through your busy 16+ hour day.

Cheetos, Fritos, and Doritos aren’t the healthy, energizing snacks your brain is asking for—and neither are sweet treats like cream cuffs, brownies, and double chocolate chunk cookies. Instead of overindulging in the overly sweet or salty, try these five brain boosting snacks that will help fuel you for your week:

1. Oatmeal
Having a bowl of oatmeal is like taking a shot of glucose; in other words, it’s like blood sugar to the brain.  Start your day off right by having a hot bowl of hearty oatmeal for breakfast. And don’t think of it as a boring breakfast, because it definitely doesn’t have to be. Healthy oatmeals come in a variety of flavors, and you can also try adding cinnamon or berries to your bowl for an extra little kick. Having oatmeal for breakfast will help get your brain flowing early in the morning, which is a great way to get your day going.

2. Raspberries
With virtually no calories in them, raspberries can be one of the most delectably healthy snacks.  Antioxidants are especially high in raspberries, and they are said to slow cognitive decline.  Bottom line: raspberries are good for the brain. Grab a handful and put them in a baggie so you can snack on them when you’re out and about. You can also add them to smoothies for added sweetness and health benefits!

3. Avocados
Prostate cancer prevention, oral cancer defense, eye health, lower cholesterol, stroke prevention, breast cancer protection.  All of these are attributes of eating avocados.  Sounds more like a vitamin than a snack, doesn’t it?  Avocados are a great thing to get your brain going, so try incorporating them into your diet. Slices of avocado can be a tasty addition to sandwiches, and of course, there’s guacamole! Enough said.

4. Dark chocolate
Who would’ve thunk?!  Everyone can rejoice- chocolate is on the health menu.  Studies have shown that eating a small amount of dark chocolate (2-3x per week) can help lower your blood pressure.  What’s more, it can even improve blood flow and help fight against arteriosclerosis. So there’s no need to sacrifice chocolate in your life!

5. Kefir
It’s all about the probiotics.  If you’re a froyo goer, Kefir is a go-to snack for you, as it’s a bottled up yogurt drink that tastes great and has plenty of nutrients.  The creamy yogurt drink is available in tasty pomegranate, strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry flavors. They provide milk proteins and are 99% lactose free.  If you couldn’t tell by now, it is a highly recommended brain booster.