10 Great Superfoods to Support Brain Health

Research says these delicious foods may help your memory and mood

Christine Richmond

Updated April 17, 2025

lacaosa/Getty Images

What you eat influences how you think. It’s that simple. Your food choices affect your brain and may even make a difference between clear thinking and forgetfulness. Meals and snacks may also determine your mood — whether you feel upbeat or blue, energetic or sluggish.

“There is no single magic dietary bullet for brain health, in part because a healthy brain depends on having the rest of your body healthy as well,” says Walter Willett, M.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

A wide variety of nourishing foods is best for maintaining a healthy brain, Willett notes. “Good blood circulation is important, so healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates are a good beginning,” he says.

Here are 10 foods research suggests may help support brain health, along with recipes to help you make these superfoods part of your super diet.

1. Kale

This leafy green is rich in naturally occurring plant pigments such as carotenoids, which can help support better cognitive function as we age. A higher intake of carotenoids from foods like kale was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease in a study that analyzed several years of data from 927 adults with an average age of 81. The results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2021.

Need some inspiration? Try Kale Salad With Preserved Lemon & Walnuts or dried kale chips, just make sure they’re not loaded with salt, sugar or cane syrup (another name for sugar).

2. Eggs

Soft-boiled, hard-boiled, scrambled or coddled, eggs benefit your body and brain. The yolks are packed with choline, a nutrient related to B vitamins that is involved in producing chemicals that affect mood and memory. The recommended daily intake of choline is 425 mg for women and 550 mg for men, but one study found that a daily intake of as little as 187.6 mg — for context, one large egg has 147 mg — was associated with better cognitive performance. Published in Behavioural Neurology in 2021, the study analyzed data from 2,393 adults over the age of 60. An added bonus: Egg yolks are also a stellar source of natural vitamin D, which some research has linked to protection against memory loss.

Try Spicy Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce.

3. Avocados

This green fruit is a good source of lutein, a nutrient that’s important for brain health as well as eye health. A diet rich in lutein was linked to better cognitive function in a study published in Public Health Nutrition in 2021 that analyzed data from 6,390 adults ages 50 and older. Although avocados contain fat, it’s unsaturated fat, the kind called “good fat” because it can improve blood cholesterol and stabilize heart rhythms.

Pair this Creamy Avocado and Bean Wrap with tortilla chips and salsa.

Legal Disclaimer

Best Of

4. Lemons and limes

Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit and their lesser-known citrus fruit cousins — including pomelos, kumquats, bergamot and finger limes — do more than add a tart spark of flavor to food. They contain naturally occurring compounds called polyphenols that help safeguard the brain’s nerve cells. Emerging research has shown that citrus fruits may be linked with protecting long-term memory and thinking skills.

For a change of pace, serve this Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Preserved Lemon for lunch.

5. Walnuts

Munching on walnuts was associated with better cognitive function in a study that analyzed data from 3,632 adults ages 65 and older published in Public Health Nutrition in 2021. In addition, walnut consumption was linked to a lower risk of depression in a study involving more than 5,000 adults age 65 and older published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging in 2023. Rich in protein and fiber, a handful of walnuts is a satisfying snack.

This hearty salad gets dressed up with glazed walnuts.

6. Black beans

These unassuming beans contain a significant amount of folate, a B vitamin that may help guard against Alzheimer’s disease, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of about 60 studies published in Frontiers in Neuroscience in 2021. A deficit of this vital nutrient may contribute to depression and difficulty concentrating. Folate is water-soluble and is not stored in the body in large amounts, so you have to top up your stores through the foods you eat. Black-eyed peas, green beans, kidney beans, lentils and white beans provide a good amount of folate. It’s fine to use canned beans if you rinse them before using to remove excess sodium and starchy water.

Combine the best of both worlds with a nacho-pizza combination Black Bean Nacho Pizza.

7. Blueberries

These colorful fruits may help protect against cognitive decline in older adults, according to a systematic review of 12 studies published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity in 2020. Blueberries, as well as blackberries, raspberries and other berries, contain naturally occurring plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that help improve communication between brain cells. In a study of 86 adults between the ages of 65 and 80 with mild cognitive decline and 45 healthy controls published in Nutritional Neuroscience in 2023, those who ate freeze-dried wild blueberries every day for six months performed better on processing speed tests.

Start your day with this delicious Creamy Blueberry-Pecan Oatmeal.

8. Rolled oats

Your brain, along with the rest of your body, cannot work without energy, and certain foods work better than others to stoke that energy. Diets high in processed foods and refined sugars (think glazed doughnuts dipped in sprinkles) shortchange your body of healthy complex carbs. They don’t do your mind or mood any favors. They may, in fact, lead to brain fog and memory problems, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 77 studies involving more than 17,000 participants published in Nutrients in 2023. Foods rich in complex carbs, on the other hand, provide a steady supply of glucose to fuel the brain and support mental alertness. To help keep your brain in good working order, choose rolled oats, whole-grain breads and pastas, or barley.

Stow a batch of these Breakfast Blueberry-Oatmeal Cakes in the freezer to microwave for a healthy grab-and-go breakfast.

9. Extra-virgin olive oil

A staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil may help keep your mind sharp as you age. Researchers found a link between olive oil consumption and better cognition in adults 55 and older in a systematic review of 11 studies published in Frontiers in Nutrition in 2023. And eating two tablespoons of olive oil per day for six months improved the clinical dementia scores of 25 men and women ages 55-75 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a study published in Nutrients in 2022.

Mix this Classic Basil Pesto Sauce into tomato or potato salad, or spread it on bread as a flavorful sandwich base.

10. Coffee and tea

If a cup of coffee or tea is part of your morning ritual, we have good news: These beverages may help protect against memory loss. Higher coffee consumption — regular or decaf — was linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease in a study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience in 2021 that looked at more than 10 years’ worth of data from 227 participants with an average age of 70. And among 11,910 people 60 and older, those who frequently drank tea were found to have better cognition than those who rarely or never did so. The authors of the study, published in 2023 in Frontiers in Public Health wrote: “We observed beneficial effects of frequent tea consumption on cognitive function, especially in older people with green tea intake.”

Bake a batch of Banana Bread made with coffee for a new twist on an old favorite.

Find more Superfoods for the Brain.