Foods for Mental Energy and Focus

Choose the right foods to eat and you will be able to concentrate, feel alert, and get things done. Eat the wrong things and youíll lack focus, feel sluggish, and want to take a nap. Unfortunately, no one teaches us which foods help or hurt our ability to focus better.

I wish this wasn’t true. I used to find myself feeling tired, sluggish, and unable to get work done after eating what I thought was a healthy meal. This led to me doing a lot of research and experimentation to find foods that give me the energy I need to focus and work hard for 60 hours a week. After a few months of trial and error I came up with 6 foods and 1 drink that really work.

You’ll probably wonder why coffee and tea arenít on the list. While both work due to their caffeine content, I wanted to find foods that also had additional nutritional value (i.e. protein, vitamins and minerals, etc.). I also figured it’d be cool to know additional ways to boost brainpower.

Blueberries
Studies show that eating blueberries can improve your ability to concentrate and perform tasks requiring you to really focus. Scientists still don’t know why they’re beneficial. Some believe that it may be their high antioxidant content which helps vacuum up potentially damaging free radicals. Others suggest it’s their ability to reduce inflammation and increase the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. Whatever it is, blueberries are a tasty, brain friendly food. I find that my energy stays consistent for several hours after eating them, especially when added to a protein shake or plain yogurt.

How much should you eat? You eat 1 cup a day. Eat them alone or add them to a protein shake for a delicious snack. Avoid eating them with sugar-rich desserts the blood sugar spike youíll get may diminish their brain boosting benefits. Don’t expect to see instant brain-boosting benefits. The benefits are more likely to occur over time.

Dark Chocolate
This will probably be your favorite brain boosting food. Chocolate, especially the dark stuff contains compounds called flavonols that can help improve mental focus. Studies show that drinking flavanol rich cocoa helps increase blood flow to your brain which, in turn, improves your ability to concentrate. A single square of dark chocolate also contains a small amount of caffeine too which also improves mental energy and focus.

Eat 2-3 squares of dark chocolate a day. The darker the chocolate the better.

Eggs
The simple egg is an awesome food for boosting your ability to focus. That’s why I eat them several times a week. I really notice a difference in my productivity after eating them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Each serving of eggs are rich in protein, B vitamins, and choline. Each plays a key role in keeping your brain healthy. The choline in eggs is especially important since itís a component in the cells of your brain. Itís also used to make acetylcholine, a compound that helps your brain send messages from one cell to another.

Eat eggs 3-4 days a week for the best results. You shouldn’t worry about their cholesterol content either. Studies show that it’s not bad for your heart. Don’t throw away the yolks as this it the part of the egg where the B vitamins, choline, and other brain healthy nutrients are contained.

Fatty Fish
Once I started eating fatty fish and taking a fish oil supplement daily I noticed that I was my ADD like tendencies diminished and I was able to get more work done in less time. I feel calmer too. The reason for this are the omega 3 fats found in fish like anchovies, mackerel, salmon, and sardines. One of these omega 3’s, DHA is found in large amounts within our brains. The other, EPA is converted to DHA once it’s been consumed.

EPA and DHA help our brains in a few ways. The first is that they increase the ability of the cells in our brain to communicate with one another. This makes it easier for your brain to properly function. Another is that omega 3 fats increase the production of dopamine and serotonin, two chemicals that have important roles with regard to mental focus. Dopamine helps spur you into action and get you to work while also making it possible for you to focus on the task at hand. Serotonin on the other hand helps to keep you feeling calm and better able to deal with stress which also makes it easier for you to concentrate and get things done.

Strive to eat fish at least 2-3 times a week to receive benefit. You may need to eat it more often or take a fish oil supplement to see significant results. Expect it to take a couple of weeks before you notice significant results.

Nuts And Seeds
Eating certain nuts and seeds can help your focus and brain function. They include: walnuts which are shown to boost serotonin levels so you’re better at handling stress, cashews which are rich in magnesium a mineral that can increase blood flow to your brain, and almonds a seed that is rich in phenylalanine an amino acid that helps produce the focus boosting chemical dopamine. I like to buy them raw and roast them myself. This allows me to come up with my own recipes and is much less expensive than buying a bag of roasted nuts.

Eat a handful of these nuts and seeds daily for the best results. You can eat them alone or add them to your favorite recipes. I like them with roasted fish and mixed in with yogurt.

Steak
A nice, lean cut of steak is is full of other nutrients that are good for your brain. It’s rich in B vitamins which your brain uses for fuel and proper function. Every serving also contains creatine, which your body uses for fuel. You also get a nice dose of the amino acid l-tyrosine which is used to make dopamine which, like I previously wrote, helps your brain stay alert, energized and able to fully focus. Since steak digests slowly, it will keep you full between meals minimizing energy crashes and brain fog too.

How much do you need? You can eat steak as often as you like. Aim for 2-3 servings a week, especially on days you really need to focus. I like to eat it for breakfast with our without eggs and find doing so makes it much easier to focus all morning long. If you eat steak regularly, eat lean cuts like flank, flat iron, filet mignon, and sirloin.

Water
Sure, it’s not as sexy as chocolate or tasty as steak but drinking good old water throughout the day instead of soda and other sweetened drinks is of paramount importance to keeping your brain in working order. As you know, water is required for your body to stay hydrated. This is important to our brains since being even a little dehydrated compromises our brains ability to function properly. This means instead of being able to focus you will instead feel lethargic and short of mental energy. Become dehydrated enough and you will find yourself feeling depressed and really out of sorts.

Most experts recommend drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Depending on your activity levels, you may require more or less for optimal results.Since I work out daily, I need to drink 12 or more glass every day. When I drink less my mental energy really wanes.

Putting It All Together
Now you know several foods to you can eat any time for better focus and mental energy. Give these suggestions a try for a month and I guarantee that you will find that you’re able to get more done in less time.
Curt is the founder of Stayfitcentral.com, a website which features reviews, guides, and other information to help people buy the right nutritional supplements and fitness products for their specific needs. Curt has published numerous fitness, nutrition, and health related articles online at leading online publications including: eDiets, iVillage, and Askmen.

Photo credit: ‘Nuts‘ by Big Stock


GET THE BOOK BY
ERIN FALCONER!

Erin shows overscheduled, overwhelmed women how to do less so that they can achieve more. Traditional productivity books—written by men—barely touch the tangle of cultural pressures that women feel when facing down a to-do list. How to Get Sh*t Done will teach you how to zero in on the three areas of your life where you want to excel, and then it will show you how to off-load, outsource, or just stop giving a damn about the rest.

64 Responses to Foods for Mental Energy and Focus

  1. Stephenpep says:

    best place to buy viagra online buy viagra cheap viagra online

  2. Jamesgreat says:

    when is the best time to take cialis cialis for sale cialis at a discount price

  3. Travisshoob says:

    viagra doses 200 mg cheap viagra generic canadian pharmacy generic viagra

  4. Eddievor says:

    ed vacuum pump natural pills for ed ed pills online pharmacy

  5. Jamesspura says:

    order viagra online buy generic drugs viagra online canada

  6. Jamesspura says:

    viagra cost per pill canadian pharmacy viagra viagra pills

  7. Jamesspura says:

    generic viagra india generic viagra online viagra over the counter

  8. Jamesspura says:

    viagra for men online viagra canada is there a generic for viagra

  9. Jamesspura says:

    where can i buy viagra buy viagra 100mg viagra

  10. Ernestjiz says:

    anti fungal pills without prescription Cheap Erection Pills viagra without a doctor prescription

  11. Ernestjiz says:

    buy medication online cause of ed erectile dysfunction pills

  12. Ernestjiz says:

    natural treatment for ed ED Pills vacuum pump for ed

  13. Ernestjiz says:

    best ed treatments generic ed pills buy ed drugs

  14. Dannymug says:

    taking l-citrulline and cialis together cheap cialis purchasing cialis on the internet

  15. Dannymug says:

    cialis lowest price cheap cialis cost of cialis

  16. Very good vuca insan kaynakları

  17. BruceBep says:

    buy prescription drugs without doctor canadian drugstore online best ed treatment pills
    hims ed pills

  18. BruceBep says:

    medications for ed ed drugs online from canada ed medicine
    canadian drug

  19. BruceBep says:

    reasons for ed buy generic ed pills online how to get prescription drugs without doctor
    ed drugs online

  20. BruceBep says:

    the canadian drugstore canadian drugs online ed clinic
    buy online drugs

  21. MichealRot says:

    https://prednisonegeneric20.com/ buy prednisone from india

  22. MichealRot says:

    https://zithromaxgeneric500.com/ buy cheap generic zithromax

  23. MichealRot says:

    https://valtrexgeneric500.com/ valtrex online no prescription

  24. WilliamMedlY says:

    sildenafil pharmacy sildenafil generic

  25. WilliamMedlY says:

    cheap generic sildenafil buy sildenafil online

  26. WilliamMedlY says:

    payday loans no credit check instant online payday loans

  27. WilliamMedlY says:

    cash advance personal loans with no credit check

  28. WilliamMedlY says:

    tadalafil canada generic tadalafil

  29. Remarkable! Itѕ trսly amazing paragraph, I
    ave got mսch clear idea on the topic oof from tһis paragraph.

    mу homepagе: CBD delta 8 gummies

  30. StephenNup says:

    viagra 100mg price generic viagra viagra professional

  31. RobinSeike says:

    generic cialis tadalafil cheap cialis buy cialis online canadian

  32. RobinSeike says:

    best ed pills at gnc canada online pharmacy top ed drugs

  33. RobinSeike says:

    drug medication canadian drug stores how to cure ed

  34. RobinSeike says:

    cialis maximum dosage cheap cialis cialis canada

  35. RobinSeike says:

    how to fix ed cheap Doxycyline natural ed treatments

  36. RobinSeike says:

    medications for cheap generic drugs from india dog antibiotics without vet prescription

  37. RobinSeike says:

    canada viagra viagra prices viagra

  38. RobinSeike says:

    best ed pills best online canadian pharmacy buy prescription drugs from canada

  39. RobinSeike says:

    treatment for ed generic drugs causes of ed

  40. RobinSeike says:

    best erectile dysfunction pills canada drug pharmacy how can i order prescription drugs without a doctor

  41. RobinSeike says:

    cat antibiotics without pet prescription canadian pharmacy review top rated ed pills

  42. RobinSeike says:

    cialis generic availability cheap cialis generic cialis available

  43. RobinSeike says:

    ed meds online without doctor prescription canada online pharmacy male enhancement

  44. RobinSeike says:

    cvs prescription prices without insurance canadian pharmacy online natural treatment for ed

  45. Traviserony says:

    male dysfunction pills: male ed drugs buy prescription drugs online legally

  46. Traviserony says:

    canada ed drugs: cheapest ed pills online erectile dysfunction

  47. LarryCague says:

    5 mg cialis coupon printable cialis 20mg cialis dosage

  48. LarryCague says:

    how much is viagra non prescription viagra generic viagra online

  49. LarryCague says:

    best otc ed pills canadian pharmacies online best ed drug

  50. LarryCague says:

    buy viagra online usa viagra over the counter usa 2020 viagra doses 200 mg

  51. LarryCague says:

    does viagra or cialis help with pe cialis generic cialis discount card

  52. LarryCague says:

    generic zithromax 500mg india buy zithromax without presc zithromax purchase online

  53. LarryCague says:

    best canadian pharmacy online cheap viagra online canada pharmacy new ed drugs

  54. wmdoll 153 says:

    リアルなダッチワイフの世界へようこそ。 最高のダッチワイフを見つけることになると、あなたは正しいページにたどり着きました! Yourdollは、世界中のダッチワイフのような生活のトップサプライヤーです。 ラブドール 等身 大 https://yourdoll.jp/product-category/150-159cm-love-doll/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.