Benefits of nuts for our brain
Maintaining a balanced diet is important not only for improving our physical health but also for the benefits this habit brings to our mental health. We'll tell you about the benefits of nuts for the brain. We know that the Mediterranean diet is one of the best in these aspects, but we can still include a greater quantity of certain foods that help us improve it.
There are many studies that affirm that including more nuts in our daily diet improves brain activity and protects against cognitive decline in old age. We are talking about both cognitive functions (attention, memory, planning, etc.) and emotional balance.
Nuts are a source of minerals and vitamins. They also contain high concentrations of flavonoids (antioxidants) that act in areas of the hippocampus, which is closely related to memory, and exert neuroprotective effects.
They prevent some inflammatory neurological diseases at risk, reduce oxidative stress that generates neuronal toxicity, and improve metabolic balance in proteins and healthy fats. In other words, including more nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, cashews, etc., in our daily lives helps slow down brain aging and prevent diseases like dementia.
Furthermore, the benefit of nut consumption has been demonstrated not only in old age but also at the beginning of life. An adequate increase of these foods in the first trimester of pregnancy helps to improve the baby's cognitive function, specifically attention and memory, thanks to the essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) and folic acid they contain, which help in the better development of the baby's frontal brain areas.
These foods also influence our emotional well-being.
It is a mistake to think that eating a lot of certain foods will make you happier, but we find many factors that relate this to the increased consumption of some foods, such as nuts.
A large amount of serotonin (the happiness hormone) is produced in the intestinal mucosa, due to the microbiota that stimulates its production. Therefore, some of the foods that are good for our digestive system also help our emotional balance. These include pure cocoa, seeds, fruits and vegetables, and as we mentioned before, nuts, which satiate us and give us quick energy.
María Pérez Garoz
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Specialist in Forensic Psychology