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