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What you eat doesn’t just affect your waistline. Your plays a major role in every area of your health, including how your brain functions. According to registered dietitian Dr. Kezia Joy, RDN and Medical Advisor with Welzo, the foods you eat can either help protect memory and focus or contribute to cognitive decline over time. The wrong choices may increase inflammation, disrupt blood sugar balance, and reduce circulation to the brain, all of which could negatively impact your memory.
If you’re focused on long-term brain health in 2026, now might be the time to reevaluate what’s on your plate. Dr. Joy explains that limiting highly processed and inflammatory foods can support clearer thinking and better focus. Read on to find six foods she warns you might want to cut out, from sugary options to ultra-processed snacks.
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1. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
As delicious as they are, sugary drinks can have both immediate and long-term effects on how your brain performs. "Sugary drinks may lead to rapid increases and drops in your blood glucose, which could negatively impact your ability to focus, learn and remember things over a period of minutes," Dr. Joy explains. Over time, regularly sipping on soda and fruit juice may also lead to chronic inflammation, which can do some serious damage to your brain.
She recommends replacing sweetened beverages with "water, unsweetened tea or naturally flavored sparkling water," noting that these options help promote "more consistent energy levels throughout the day" and improved mental clarity.
2. Ultra-Processed Snack Foods
Processed snacks are certainly convenient and tasty, but they're not great for your brain. Dr. Joy says that "highly processed snacks are often rich in refined carbohydrates and excess sodium as well as unhealthy fats that provide very little nutritional value." Eating these foods on a regular basis may contribute to inflammation and cognitive decline.
For healthier snacks, she suggests whole-food alternatives like nuts, seeds, yogurt, and minimally processed options, which "provide the nutrients necessary for steady brain energy and focus."
3. Processed Meats (Including Deli Meat)
Deli meat and other processed meats are a major concern for long-term cognitive health. "Processed meat is made with preservatives and a lot of saturated fats, which increase the amount of inflammation that occurs inside your body," Dr. Joy says. That inflammation doesn’t just affect your heart—it can also impair brain function and memory over time.
Instead, she recommends lean protein sources such as fish, poultry, legumes, and beans, which support brain health while also lowering the risk of heart disease.
4. Fried Foods
Fried foods may taste great, but the oils used during high-heat cooking can harm brain health. "The oils that fried foods are typically cooked with break down when heated, which creates the possibility of compounds being created that could be detrimental to your blood vessels," Dr. Joy explains. Reduced blood flow to the brain can negatively affect memory and cognitive performance.
Switching to baked, grilled, or air-fried options allows you to enjoy similar flavors while minimizing risks to your brain.
5. Artificially Sweetened Foods and Drinks
Artificial sweeteners are often viewed as a healthier alternative to sugar, but as it turns out, they come with risks of their own. Dr. Joy notes that these products "may disrupt gut health," which is essential for brain function through the gut-brain axis. Emerging research suggests that gut imbalances caused by excessive artificial sweetener intake may affect mood and cognitive function.
She recommends using naturally sweet foods like fruit or small amounts of natural sweeteners as occasional alternatives.
6. Refined White Bread and Pastries
Refined carbohydrates can cause unstable blood sugar levels that interfere with focus and memory. "Refined carbohydrates are easily broken down in the body into simple sugars, which leads to unstable blood sugar levels and, in turn, affects your ability to focus and remember things," Dr. Joy says.
Whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread are much better choices with great benefits.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, as Dr. Joy, reminds us, protecting your memory isn’t about eliminating one specific food. It's about consistency. "Protecting brain function isn't so much about cutting out individual foods as it is creating an ongoing habit of consuming nutrient-rich, well-balanced food consistently." Reducing highly processed foods while prioritizing whole, nourishing options can support both weight loss and cognitive health for years to come.
