Brain Focus/Concentration

Improve focus and memory with diet; avoid the peaks and crashes of a caffeine and sugar strategy

Recommended For

Adult ADHD, Brain focus, Concentration, Concentration difficulty, Poor brain focus, Poor concentration.

Diet Goals

Optimize brain fuel nutrients

  • Get brain boosting nutrients from food
  • Eat omega-3s to build and repair brain cells
  • Avoid high sugar and caffeine drinks that can lead to blood sugar 'crash' within hours
Instead of just a quick jolt from caffeine, get consistent brain energy with nutrients that affect long term concentration, focus and memory.

Food Recommendations

Foods to Eat

Fruit, Berries: Raspberry, blueberry, strawberry
Nuts, Seeds: Chia seeds, flax, pepitas, almonds, walnuts
Fish 2 x week: Salmon, bass, cod, crab, scallops, shrimp
Whole grains: Whole wheat bread & pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, brown rice
Low fat dairy: Skim, 1% milk, yogurt, cheeses, buttermilk
Lean meats: Chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, shrimp, pork chops

Foods to Avoid

Sugary drinks: Soda, coffee drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice, smoothies
Trans fats: Fried foods, cakes, cookies, pies, frozen pizza
Refined carbs: Bread, pasta, wraps, pancakes, condiments, sauces, dressings
Artificial sweeteners: Saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia
High sugar: Fruit yogurt, granola, energy bars; raisins, ketchup, pasta sauce
Processed foods: Fast or fried foods, packaged foods, frozen dinners, cakes

Diet Rules

Additional Information

Research

Sugar, caffeine can boost brain function but can result in 'crash'. Healthy diet with brain boosting foods and nutrients enhances consistent brain performance.
In one study, participants who ranked high on the healthy diet scale did better on 10 tests of memory than those with less healthy diet.
Consuming energy drinks may increase BP and heart rate (can be bad for heart health); over 20,000 ER visits per year in U.S. due to energy drinks.

Caveats

Protein rich foods increase tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine which help increase alertness; aspartame (like Equal) inhibits these.
Fermented foods act as natural probiotics; healthy gut directly affects brain health.
Diets high in refined sugar impaired brain function; also worsened symptoms of mood disorders like depression.
Studies found brain volume shrank in proportion to alcohol consumed even in light to moderate drinkers compared to non-drinkers.

References

Alban, D. (n.d.). THE MIND DIET: Eating For A Healthy Brain (Detailed Guide). Be Brain Fit. https://bebrainfit.com/mind-diet-recipes/
Bailey, C. (2013). 9 brain foods that will improve your focus and concentration. A Life of Productivity. https://alifeofproductivity.com/9-brain-foods-that-will-boost-your-ability-to-focus/
Bremner, B., & Madden, J. (2014). Diet Manuel for Long-Term Care Residents. Maryland Dept. of Health. http://dhmh.maryland.gov/ohcq/docs/diet_manual_4-3-14.pdf
Burgin, J. (2015). The Connection Between Leaky Gut and Leaky Brain. Mindd Foundation. https://mindd.org/connection-leaky-gut-leaky-brain/
Cohen BS, J. (2022). 8 Benefits of the MIND Diet: Brain, Heart, Weight & More. SelfDecode. https://health.selfdecode.com/blog/mind-diet/
Danziger, L. (2021). The 9 Foods to Eat to Boost Focus and Productivity, According to Doctors. The Beet. https://thebeet.com/the-9-foods-to-eat-to-boost-focus-and-productivity-according-to-doctors/
Esposito, L. (2023). MIND Diet. US News. https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/mind-diet
Gómez-Pinilla, F. (2008). Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/
Justin, B., Turek, M., & Hakim, A. (2012). Heart disease as a risk factor for dementia. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Dove Press. https://www.dovepress.com/heart-disease-as-a-risk-factor-for-dementia-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CLEP
MedlinePlus. (2022). Alzheimer disease. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000760.htm
The Connection Between Leaky Gut and Leaky Brain. (n.d.). Mindd Foundation. https://mindd.org/connection-leaky-gut-leaky-brain/
Eating your way to focus and concentration. (2017). Psychology Compass. https://psychologycompass.com/blog/eating-your-way-to-focus-and-concentration/
Reeves MD, M. (2022). Want to decrease your chances for chronic disease? Researchers found that a vegetarian diet does just that. Loma Linda University Health. https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-019-0972-0#citeas
Wade, A., Davis, C., Dyer, K., Hodgson, J., Woodman, R., Keage, H., & Murphy, K. (2017). A Mediterranean Diet to Improve Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Intervention Study. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5331576/
Wanucha, G. (2018). The Gut Microbiome and Brain Health. UW Medicine Memory & Brain Wellness Center. http://depts.washington.edu/mbwc/news/article/the-gut-microbiome-and-brain-health
Watson, S. (2014). Caffeine and a healthy diet may boost memory, thinking skills; alcohol’s effect uncertain. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/caffeine-healthy-diet-may-boost-memory-thinking-skills-alcohols-effect-uncertain-201406187219