“You are what you eat,” is a saying that holds a lot of truth, especially when it comes to matters like brain health. What we consume directly or indirectly impacts our mood and cognitive function. So, eating the right foods in the diet can improve mental performance and promote better mental health.

In this article, we will cover what brain foods and supplements best benefit the brain and emotions, how they work, and more.

How Does Nutrition Affect Brain Function and Mental Health?

Nutrition plays a significant role in improving brain function and maintaining good emotional well-being. Let’s examine how it does this.

Impact of good nutrition on brain health

• Good nutrition enhances cognitive function. Leafy greens like collards, kale, broccoli, and spinach contain high levels of folate, Vitamin K, beta-carotene, and lutein. These nutrients are associated with improving cognitive performance, memory and the probability of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease).
• Improves neurotransmitter production. Consuming enough vitamins and minerals is essential for the production of neurotransmitters. It facilitates smooth connections between the nerve cells.

Impact of nutrition on mental health

• Reduces inflammation. Eating food high in sugars and fats can increase stress in the brain’s astrocytes and microglia. This can cause swelling and irritation of brain cells in some parts of the brain, like the hippocampus. Plus, it can block the development of new neurons. That can cause a slow cognitive decline—one may start having trouble remembering things, making decisions, etc. There is also a higher risk of developing mental health conditions like depression.
• Impacts mood regulation. Consuming food items and drinks high in refined sugar can cause blood sugar levels to spike quickly. The crash that comes after that also occurs fast, making one feel more irritable and moody. Plus, high sugar levels can impair brain function by triggering inflammation, disrupting dopamine and serotonin production, and increasing cortisol levels. All of this makes the symptoms of anxiety and depression worse.

It is safe to say that the type of food you eat does play a big role in keeping the brain healthy and promoting mental well-being. We should aim to create a balanced meal that is rich in healthy whole foods that support brain development and prevent cognitive decline. But what are the brain-boosting foods and supplements that we must prioritize in our meal planning?

Let’s discuss this.

Best Foods That Promote Mental Wellness

The following table presents the best brain foods to consume for mental health and good neural functioning.

Essential Supplements That Enhance Brain Health

Here are the important supplements that positively support brain health.

• B Vitamins (B6/B12/Folate). They help improve mood and avoid brain fog.
• Vitamin D improves cognitive power and balances mood.
• Omega-3 fatty acids. These reduce stress and risk for depression. The essential fatty acids improve mental focus and memory.
• Magnesium. These nutrients promote healthy neurotransmitter functioning and reduce stress.
• Adaptogens (like Rhodiola or Ashwagandha) help improve mental clarity, manage fatigue and ease anxiety or depression symptoms.

Food and Lifestyle Decisions Hampering Your Progress

Let’s say you are doing everything right and eating the right brain foods. But it may not be enough if you are also consuming things that are not good for you or not caring about your overall health. One must see the bigger picture instead of just adopting good food choices that target specific issues. Here are some food items and habits you should try to avoid.

Foods to Avoid:

• Cut out sugary sports drinks, soda and energy drinks. It can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and increase the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
• Refined carbohydrates with a high glycemic index like white rice and white bread, can increase blood sugar levels.
• Highly processed items like instant noodles, chips, sweets and ready-made meals have high added fats, sugar and sodium content.
• A lot of packaged snacks, frosting and margarine are high in artificial trans fat.

Habits to Avoid:

• Leading a sedentary lifestyle with no physical activity can harm cognitive and mental health.
• Not sleeping well can affect mood, cause memory loss and lower cognitive function.
• Research shows that smoking tobacco increases the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
• Not engaging with peers or isolating too much can negatively impact mental health and reduce brain functions.

Practical Tips to Adopt Brain-Healthy Nutrition

Here are some things you can do every day that will positively impact your brain health in the long term.

Start the MIND Diet

Use the MIND dietary approach, which incorporates some aspects of Mediterranean and DASH diets (e.g., adding more brain foods to daily diet).

Use stress-reduction strategies

Start practicing relaxation exercises and mindfulness techniques to relieve stress, help improve memory and prevent neurological disorders or mental health problems.

Eat more leafy greens

Vegetables like broccoli, kale, collards, and spinach contain high amounts of nutrients like lutein, beta carotene, folate, and Vitamin K. Eating these more can strengthen one’s cognitive health.

Consume more whole grains

Whole grains like barley, oats, and quinoa contain natural glucose, one of the main nutrients powering brain health. Their fiber content also promotes good blood sugar levels.

Eat more fatty fish

Incorporate omega fatty acids into your diet. Eat fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel which research suggests helps improve brain function and memory.

Consume nuts and berries

Nuts have high levels of vitamin E and healthy fats. Berries on the other hand are rich in antioxidants.

Regular physical activity

Engaging in even some level of moderate aerobic activity can improve cardiovascular health. That can benefit brain health and relieve anxiety.

Avoid processed foods

Make a conscious effort to reduce your consumption of processed food. Eating too much junk food can negatively impact cognitive function.

Avoid consuming too much alcohol

Consuming too much alcohol and too often harms brain health seriously over time.

Increase your water content

Drink more water daily to maintain good brain function and improve concentration. Make sure to consume as much water as your body needs, considering physiological factors, your activity level, etc. Drinking too much water can cause problems, so create a balance that works for you.

Conclusion

Understanding how our nutrition impacts our health can make it easier for us to improve our health from the inside. Make small changes like adding brain foods and supplements that enhance cognitive ability and manage emotional health. Adopting new habits like practicing movement regularly taking a walk outside, drinking more water and avoiding processed foods can significantly impact other areas of health too.

However, it is advisable to consult with good therapists and mental health experts to tackle serious mental health concerns from the root. Adjust your nutritional plans along with therapy and mindfulness practices overall.

Authored By

Shebna N Osanmoh I, PMHNP-BC

May 8, 2025

Shebna N Osanmoh is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience across the mental health spectrum. Holding a Master’s in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from Walden University, Shebna provides compassionate, culturally sensitive care for a wide range of mental health conditions, emphasizing holistic and individualized treatment approaches to support patients in their wellness journey.