The Best Foods for Concentration and Memory

Certain foods are "classics" when it comes to keeping you alert and awake. Caffeine-containing coffee, chocolate and energy drinks provide the energy and focus you need to make it through the early part of the day or an exam. Other foods may not give the same jolt as coffee, but they still stimulate the brain and offer protection against aging. As with any food, moderation is important, as even brain food can be detrimental in excess.

Fish

• Cold-water fish, such as herring, salmon, tuna, anchovies and sardines, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are key components of the brain, retina and other nerve tissue. Eating two servings of these types of fish weekly can help your brain by lowering the risk of dementia and stroke and staving off mental decline as people age. The downside of fish as a concentration-enhancing food is that it can be subject to mercury contamination.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans

• Taking vitamin E is associated with less cognitive decline as you age, and nuts and seeds are good sources of this antioxidant. Nuts of all kinds, such as cashews, Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, can work to benefit your brain. Just one ounce per day should be enough to maintain brain health without excessive calories. Nuts and seeds also contain omega-3s, with flaxseeds containing high amounts; sunflower seeds contain thiamine, which is a B vitamin that improves cognitive function. Beans and legumes also help the brain by stabilizing sugar levels so that a steady supply of energy is available to the brain.

Eggs

• Eggs are a good source of a number of essential building blocks for the brain, namely vitamin B, lecithin and essential fatty acids, or EFAs. When eating eggs for brain power, do not neglect the yolk, which contains choline, a constituent of brain cells that help improve memory. During pregnancy, maternal choline intake affects the neural development of the fetus. Other food sources of choline include soybeans, butter, peanuts and potatoes.

Gingko Biloba

• Although well-known as a memory-assisting nutritional supplement, gingko biloba, or the leaves from the gingko biloba tree, has had mixed performance in studies. A recent study in December 2009 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that gingko biloba, despite earlier promise demonstrated by modest improvements in cognitive function in older adults with dementia, did not prevent memory loss or slow deterioration of cognitive ability. Nonetheless, gingko biloba is widely marketed and is said to improve mental clarity and alertness by dilating blood vessels and stimulating blood circulation to the brain.