When talking about increasing and improving brain function, in addition to organ health, there is a lot of talk about mental exercises. Doctors advise patients to take a new route home, solve crosswords and puzzles. And they also talk about food.
This is because, just as there are certain foods that can increase testosterone levels, improve intestinal transit and “renew” the skin, there are also ingredients that can improve the function cerebral.
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Nutrition scholars always mention chestnuts, avocado and olive oil. However, according to Eric Berg, food expert and author of a best seller on the subject, one of them stands out: wild salmon.
Why does wild salmon improve our brain performance?
The information was shared by Berg on his YouTube channel (via O Globo). “The best option for the brain is wild salmon,” he highlighted in the video. “There are some types of seafood that you can also consume, such as sardines, but wild-caught salmon is at the top of the list,” he added.
Note that he emphasizes that salmon must be “wild” – you will soon understand the reason and the difference to farmed fish.
Salmon has a high concentration of omega 3, which is nothing more than a set of poly-saturated fatty acids that do wonders for the proper functioning of our body.
“The brain is 60% made of fat, and 20% of that fat is made up of something called DHA, which is the omega-3 fatty acid that builds the structure of much of the brain. Salmon is very rich in omega 3 fat, not just DHA, but another called EPA, which is involved in another benefit, the reduction of inflammation”, said the expert.
More than that, omega 3 can improve memory, the ability to retain information and learn new things, cognitive function, mood and focus. Furthermore, according to Berg, it also acts in the production of hormones that regulate blood clotting, as well as the contraction and relaxation of arteries and blood pressure.
In other words, it is a “super substance” that (unfortunately) our body does not produce on its own. Therefore, we need to obtain it through diet or supplementation.
And why can't it be farmed salmon?
In short, because the concentration of omega 3 in them is low compared to the levels that salmon wild has. And, to our sadness, the majority of this type of fish that is consumed in Brazil comes from captivity.
Eric explains that the pink pigment in fish flesh found in nature comes from astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that protects neurons from damage. The color comes from molluscs and crustaceans that are the basis of wild salmon's diet.
However, in captivity, salmon are gray. The pink color comes from dyes made with carotenoids, that is, plant pigments. They are not harmful to health, but they also do not have as much concentration of Omega 3 and they don't even have astaxanthin. Therefore, they don't do much to improve the brain.
Graduated in Social Communication from the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.
