Nutrient Sources

Foods for your Brain (and body)

by Mark Hughes

Proper nutrition is a key component to living a full and healthy life. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts give our bodies nutrients that keep your body healthy. Foods that cause your body harm include deep fried foods, foods made with lots of sugar, and highly processed foods, such as many store-bought baked goods and salty snacks. Studies have shown such foods may slow a person’s ability to think.

Below are some nutrients your body needs, some foods to get them, and what you can expect from eating them.

Nutrient	Foods	Effects on your body
Calcium	Soybeans (edamame), spinach, calcium-fortified juices, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products	Essential for strong bones and teeth, calcium also helps nerves, glands, and your muscles function.
Omega-3 fatty acids	Kiwi fruit, walnuts, salmon	Improves memory and learning, and helps prevent depression
Folic-acid	Orange juice, lettuce, dried peas, spinach, and beans	Improves memory, vocabulary, and the ability to learn new things.
Magnesium	Almonds, artichoke hearts, black beans, cashews, chick peas, lentils, peanuts, red kidney beans	Feeds over 300 enzymes that keep your body running.
Vitamin A	Apricots, carrots, chili peppers, grapefruit, mango, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons	Protects the body from infection and helps maintain healthy vision and skin.
Vitamin C	Apricots, bell peppers, cabbage, cantaloupes, grapefruits, kiwi fruit, lemons, limes, oranges, papaya, pine apples, spinach, tomatoes, watermelons	Helps keep gums and teeth healthy and helps cuts or wounds heal.