There are many things you can do to improve your cognitive health, from regular exercise to daily brain games. However, one of the first steps you should take if you want to keep your brain sharp and your mood elevated is to prioritize a healthy diet that incorporates all the nutrients you need to thrive overall. And while ensuring you’re getting enough protein, fiber, and carbs in your diet is always crucial, there’s one component you may be overlooking that could take your brain health to the next level: spices! As it turns out, anti-inflammatory spices can do wonders for your noggin. In fact, there’s one in particular health experts say you should consider eating more if you’re looking to improve your memory and mood.
To discover the best spice for brain functions like memory, mood, and more, we spoke to Joanna Wen, Health Coach and Founder of Spices & Greens. She told us that cinnamon is one of the best options out there thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits. Learn more below!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is great for so many reasons. It’s delicious, works great in sweet treats without the health consequences of sugar, and it may even be able to boost your metabolism. And according to Wen, there’s one more reason you should consider sprinkling this tasty spice on your food regularly: it offers brain-boosting benefits, from memory to mood and more.
Cinnamon is a widely-available spice with a wide range of brain-boosting benefits,” she confirms. “Consuming cinnamon on a regular basis can help boost memory, mental alertness, and feelings of well-being by creating changes to brain chemistry.”
So, how can cinnamon make all this magic happen for your brain? Wen says it has to do with an organic compound called cinnamaldehyde, which helps to give this spice its great flavor. Luckily, she explains, it also “helps reduce inflammation levels in the body and regulate stress hormones.” Keeping inflammation at bay can do wonders for your brain health, as inflammation in the brain can lead to and exacerbate issues like depression, memory loss, and more. For this reason, the anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamon, along with the stress hormone regulation it offers, makes it a great option for keeping your overall mental and cognitive health in tip-top shape.
This is great news, especially considering the fact that cinnamon is so easy to incorporate into your daily diet. Cinnamon can be easily added to coffee and other drinks or simply sprinkled on yogurt or oatmeal bowls,” Wen suggests. “It can also be incorporated into various recipes such as smoothies and pancakes or salads as a condiment.” The possibilities are truly endless!
Overall, cinnamon is a great spice to sprinkle onto all sorts of things–both for the flavor and the health benefits. “By incorporating this healthy yet tasty ingredient into your daily diet, you'll soon notice an improvement in your mental sharpness and overall mood balance,” Wen concludes.
