Featured Image Credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Jess Hardiman
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why every mouthful counts.
And it turns out there’s one very simple change we can make each day, using a store cupboard item you may already have in your kitchen.
According to new research, it could have a huge impact on your brain function, boosting that all-important memory that so many of us feel is already faltering...
The study, published in the journal Food & Function, delved into the science behind a good, healthy breakfast - and how this impacts your brain.
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The team discovered that you won’t have to make a particularly radical change to feel the difference - all you’ll need is a handful of nuts.
Specifically, 50g of walnuts, which can be added to your morning muesli and yoghurt.
The first-of-its-kind study, conducted by the University of Reading, involved 32 healthy young adults aged between 18 and 30, who consumed both a walnut-rich brekkie and a calorie-matched meal on separate occasions.
Participants then completed a number of cognitive tests, while scientists monitored their brain activity, with the walnut-based breakfast leading to faster reaction times and better memory.
According to the team, it’s the mix of nutrients - including omega-3 alpha linolenic fatty acids, protein, and plant compounds called polyphenols - found in walnuts that may enhance cognitive performance, making them a key 'brain food'.
Professor Claire Williams, who led the research from the University of Reading, said: "This study helps strengthen the case for walnuts as brain food. A handful of walnuts with breakfast could give young adults a mental edge when they need to perform at the top of their game. It's particularly exciting that such a simple dietary addition could make a measurable difference to cognitive performance."
Dr Adrian Whyte, who previously worked at the University of Reading when he conducted the experiment, and now works at the University of Winchester, told the BBC that walnuts offer a rare combination of chemicals to help boost brain function.
"Other foods, notably fruits like blueberries, contain flavonoids but the particular array of chemicals in walnuts may work in a particularly synergistic fashion whereby the protein/peptides regulate the absorption of the Omega 3s which, in turn, regulate the absorption of the flavonoids," he said.