Your brain is a pretty incredible organ, needed for everything from regulating emotions and memories to controlling movements and basic bodily functions. And while we often talk about caring for your brain as you get older, the reality is that your brain health matters right now. That’s where nutrition comes in — while there are so many important lifestyle factors in supporting longevity and brain health, nutrition is one of the most impactful and essential aspects of a healthy brain.
Fortunately, we get multiple opportunities every day to make good food choices through our meals and snacks, and we’re sharing it all below. Ahead, 13 foods and ingredients known to support cognitive health, including brain-friendly lunch ideas to consider.
What Makes Foods Brain-Friendly?
“Brain foods” provide essential nutrients to support your brain function, protect against age-related cognitive decline, and help support your memory, focus, and mood. Brain-friendly foods are typically good sources of nutrients like:
- Antioxidants: Compounds that protect your brain cells from the damage of oxidative stress and inflammation, which are leading factors in an aging brain.
- Healthy fats: Omega-3s (EPA and DHA) play a critical role in maintaining the structure and fluidity of brain cell membranes — essential for your brain cells to communicate.
- Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, vitamin K, magnesium, and zinc are crucial for supporting the function of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals), blood flow, and overall brain energy.
- Fiber: Supports brain health by keeping your blood sugar levels steady and preventing energy crashes, which can make it hard to focus. Fiber also supports a healthy gut, which influences your brain through the gut-brain connection.
By nourishing your brain with these key nutrients, brain-friendly foods help optimize mental performance and protect your long-term cognitive health.
13 Brain-Friendly Lunch Ideas
#1 Blueberries
Don’t let these tiny berries fool you. They’re packed with antioxidants, particularly ones called anthocyanins, which give blueberries their beautiful coloring. Studies suggest that eating wild blueberries may delay brain aging and boost cognitive functions.
How to Eat: Enjoy blueberries added to salad bowls, overnight oats, smoothies, or wraps. Or, for an easy-prep option, add them to the batter of your favorite baked goods like muffins or oatmeal bars, and serve them with lunch for the week.
#2 Avocados
Rich in monounsaturated fats, avocados support healthy blood flow, which is essential for brain function. Better blood flow means better nutrient delivery to the brain, keeping it sharp and energized. Avocados also contain unique antioxidants with brain-protective properties.
How to Eat: Slather avocado on sourdough toast or a grain-free wrap with veggies (like sprouts, grated carrots, and hummus) for lunch, use it in place of mayo for tuna salad, or make a guacamole to dip to enjoy as a side dish, alongside fresh veggies like bell peppers.
#3 Walnuts
Walnuts are a great source of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain health. They can help improve brain performance and reduce inflammation, which may have protective effects against brain-related diseases as you get older.
How to Eat: Toss a handful of walnuts into your lunch box alongside fresh fruits (like grapes and berries) and dark chocolate pieces, add a serving to your grain bowl or salad, or incorporate them into your favorite energy ball recipe.
#4 Salmon
Fatty fish like salmon are rich in omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, which help maintain the structure of your brain cells. They also help in managing mood and preventing age-related cognitive decline.
How to Eat: Roast some salmon for the week ahead and serve it sliced into a salad or wrapped in a veggie-packed tortilla for lunch. You can also enjoy it smoked as a topping for your avocado toast, or add to homemade poke bowls.
#5 Dark Chocolate
High in compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, dark chocolate boosts blood flow to your brain, which can help you think more clearly and perhaps improve your memory. It also triggers the release of endorphins, enhancing mood — which may not be surprising since it’s so delicious. Choose 70% cocoa dark chocolate or higher for the most benefit, and opt for unsweetened.
How to Eat: Sprinkle it on a protein-packed yogurt parfait, make your own chocolate chip protein bars, or enjoy it as a tasty and antioxidant-rich dessert alongside your savory lunch spread.
#6 Turmeric
Turmeric is known for its yellow color and use in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine. Its active compound is curcumin, which can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Increase how much curcumin is absorbed by your body by pairing turmeric with a dash of black pepper.
How to Eat: Add turmeric to protein-packed lunch smoothies, sprinkle it over roasted veggies, or use it in homemade soups that you can pack in a thermos for lunch.
#7 Broccoli
A cruciferous vegetable rich in antioxidants and vitamin K, broccoli supports healthy brain function. When you chew broccoli, it releases sulforaphane, which has numerous benefits. Sprinkling a little mustard seed on your broccoli helps increase the amount of sulforaphane your body can use.
How to Eat: Toss some raw broccoli florets in your lunch box with a side of ranch or hummus, or steam it the night before with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, and mustard seed.
#8 Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper, which are important for memory, brain signaling, and overall cognitive function. Choose dry-roasted or raw for the most health benefits.
How to Eat: Pumpkin seeds are great on their own, as part of a homemade trail mix, or even added to a veggie wrap or salad as a plant-based topper high in protein.
#9 Eggs
Eggs are high in choline, an essential nutrient for mood and memory, and for preventing age-related cognitive issues. They also contain B vitamins that help reduce levels of homocysteine, a compound linked to cognitive decline when it gets too high.
How to Eat: Hard-boiled eggs are a portable protein-rich food that travels well in a lunch box, but you could also fry an egg for a sandwich or make egg salad with whole-grain crackers.
#10 Kale
Leafy greens like kale are loaded with brain-protecting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Eating more leafy greens has been associated with slower cognitive decline.
How to Eat: Roasted kale chips make a great lunch box side, or you could massage chopped kale with olive oil and vinegar for a nutrient-packed lunch salad.
RELATED: The Healthiest Dark Leafy Greens You Should Add to Your Diet
#11 Beets
Beets improve blood flow to your brain by boosting the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and improves cognitive functions like memory and concentration.
How to Eat: Cooked chopped beets are lovely in a lunch salad, or you could try homemade beet hummus served with crackers.
#12 Almonds
High in the antioxidant vitamin E, almonds help protect against cognitive decline by reducing oxidative damage. They’re also a good source of healthy fats for your brain.
How to Eat: Raw almonds are easy to toss into your lunch box as a side snack with fresh berries, but you might enjoy them chopped in your salad, or in the form of almond butter in recipes like protein balls or chia seed pudding.
#13 Green Tea
Green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which works together with caffeine to improve brain function, focus, and memory. Green tea also provides antioxidants called catechins that protect your brain cells from oxidative damage.
How to Eat: Bring green tea (or matcha) in a thermos to sip on with your lunch, which can be great either hot or cold.
Mid-Day Brain Fuel
Hungry yet? We encourage you to try some of these ideas next time you’re planning lunches for the week or grabbing a mid-day meal on the go. You might be surprised by how simple and delicious it can be to support your brain health at any meal.
