Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 46
What about coffee
and chocolate?
Coffee can temporarily increase
alertness and reduce feelings of
fatigue because of its caffeine content.
However, caffeine is not a substitute for
adequate sleep, food or hydration.
Dark chocolate is also frequently promoted
as a brain food because cocoa contains
昀氀avanols. While there is interest in their
potential cardiovascular and cognitive
effects, this does not mean that chocolate
should be considered a necessary health
food — particularly given that many
chocolate products also contain substantial
amounts of added sugar and saturated fat.
The bigger picture
Perhaps the most important message is that brain
health is not determined by one meal or one food.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating
a wide variety of foods from the 昀椀ve food groups,
including vegetables and legumes, fruit, mostly
wholegrain cereals, protein-rich foods, and dairy or
alternatives, alongside plenty of water (NHMRC, 2013).
A brain-friendly eating pattern therefore does not
need to be complicated. Think colourful vegetables,
fruit, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds, 昀椀sh and
other protein foods, healthy fats and regular meals.
There is no single “brain food”. Instead, the
best brain food may be a healthy eating
pattern that you can sustain for years.
References
Coelho-Júnior, H. J., et al. (2023). A systematic review of omega-3 consumption and neuroprotective cognitive outcomes. American Journal of
Lifestyle Medicine. | Fu, J., Tan, L-J., Lee, J. E., & Shin, S. (2022). Association between the Mediterranean diet and cognitive health among healthy
adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 946361. | Loughrey, D. G., Lavecchia, S., Brennan, S., Lawlor, B. A., & Kelly,
M. E. (2017). The impact of the Mediterranean diet on the cognitive functioning of healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Advances in Nutrition, 8(4), 571–586. | National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra: NHMRC.
