Food for Focus

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If you’ve ever had one of these days where you couldn't focus and you couldn't get started on your tasks no matter how hard you tried, then you understand the importance of focus.

Without it, you end up scattered all over the place, doing a bit of work here and there and never reaching peak productivity.

Lack of focus also increases the risk of making poor decisions because you don’t have a clear objective in mind. 

If you are focused on your objectives and goals for the day, weeks and months, you accomplish more, spend less time on things that don’t matter and minimize the risk of making decisions that could sabotage your progress.

Therefore, keeping your brain in a healthy state is crucial. The foods you eat can directly impact your focus, energy levels, and productivity. 

 

Avoid this Common Trap

It’s no secret that the average person’s diet quality has dropped significantly in the last two decades. We are consuming more low-quality processed stuff than ever before, and it shows.

Statistics show that nearly two out of three adults and one in four children were overweight or obese in 2014-2015 (1). Seeing how research suggests that a higher BMI is correlated with decreased productivity, increased economic burden and decreased health, improving the quality of our diet is very important (2, 3).

However, diet quality doesn’t just impact body weight. It also has a direct impact on our mood, fatigue levels and can even contribute to depression (4).

Energy drinks come into the mix, as well. Heavily relying on the jolt of energy is a bad long-term strategy. Consuming lots of energy drinks (especially those filled with simple sugars) further contributes to the obesity epidemic that is running rampant. Energy drinks lead to energy highs, followed by the inevitable crashes.

Instead, we should consume foods that provide us with a steady stream of energy throughout the day, avoiding the energy drinks that are jam-packed with sugar. We need to start making smarter food choices that will elevate our state of mind, help us maintain healthy body weight and stay focused throughout the day.

Here are four foods to make part of your diet:

1. Fatty fish

Many people label fatty foods as inherently unhealthy and even though this might be true for some foods (deep fried butter, anyone?), fatty fish is one of the healthiest food options for your brain.

Trout, salmon and sardines are some of the most popular choices, all three are jam-packed with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (5). These fatty acids have been shown to play a crucial role in the proper functioning of the nervous system, as well as the well-being of our brain.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be very important for cognitive function, learning and protection against neural decline as we age (6).

 

2. Berries

Research has found that berries and other fruit contain antioxidants/anti-inflammatory compounds that protect the brain against cognitive decline (7).

Research (some of it done on animals) also shows that certain compounds found in berries can interact with aging neurons, improve communication between them and lead to improvements in learning and overall cognition.

And on top of that, berries are delicious and low on calories. The perfect addition to any healthy diet aimed at helping us maintain healthy body weight.

 

3. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in caffeine, flavonoids and other antioxidants.

Flavonoids have been shown to improve cognitive function, memory and ability to learn (8). Flavonoid-rich chocolate has also been shown to acutely improve arterial function and working memory function, countering the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.

One study that looked at 968 participants between the ages of 23 and 98 found that habitual flavonoid-rich chocolate intake was associated with better cognitive performance (9).

 

4. Eggs

Though often referred to as unhealthy and bad for our cholesterol, whole eggs contain an important vitamin called choline, among other essential micronutrients (10). 

What’s interesting, is that choline is deemed as essential for neurodevelopment and brain function, which has been linked to better mental function, improved mood and learning.

Seeing as just two eggs per day are enough to get the recommended dose of choline, it’s a no-brainer.

There’s another interesting benefit of egg consumption, but it’s a bit of a stretch:

One study compared the consumption of two eggs for breakfast versus heart-healthy oatmeal (11). They found that egg consumption was correlated with lower levels of ghrelin and more satiety throughout the day.

This might not seem like much, but feeling fuller throughout the day would translate to eating fewer total calories and consuming fewer low-quality, fast-digesting foods. 

This, in and of itself, could help people lose weight more easily, have more consistent energy levels and overall cognitive function and focus.