6. Dark Chocolate
This is arguably the most delicious and welcome of all brain foods. Research suggests dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain, and improves focus and processing speeds. This is thanks to the cocoa flavonoids that improve brain function and memory, as noted in the Journal of Nature Neuroscience. The flavonoids with their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties improve blood flow to the brain as well as the heart by lowering blood pressure.
You should remember that refined, sugar-laden chocolate is not the stuff that’s good for your brain. What you’re looking for is the not-too-processed, 70% cocoa content. The darker and ‘purer’ the cocoa content, the better. Cocoa’s antioxidant properties also mean your cells will age more slowly – that’s good news not only for your skin but for your brain cells. The slower they age, the longer your brain will run at full power. Due to the bitter taste, most people tend to only consume small portions, which is ideal to get the brainpower boost.