---
title: "1 key food your brain MUST have to stay sharp: Harvard expert"
source: "https://medium.com/famously-healthy/1-key-food-your-brain-must-have-to-stay-sharp-harvard-expert-d56b4bd5d503"
author:
  - "[[James Julian]]"
published: 2024-10-03
created: 2024-10-29
description: "There are more than a few “brain foods” that experts will tell you to focus on to live a long, lucid life. I find it stinky, texturally unappealing (think scallops and lobster), and I mostly dislike…"
tags:
  - "clippings"
---
[

![James Julian](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:88:88/1*8cErFlbWgcCj5oKkzeg6yQ.png)

](https://medium.com/@jamesjulianwrites?source=post_page---byline--d56b4bd5d503--------------------------------)

[

![Famously Healthy](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:48:48/1*fA4OYuz4dn27LanfMSMupA.png)

](https://medium.com/famously-healthy?source=post_page---byline--d56b4bd5d503--------------------------------)

There are more than a few “brain foods” that experts will tell you to focus on to live a long, lucid life.

[We’re talking](https://medium.com/famously-healthy/eat-these-4-foods-to-save-your-brain-harvard-nutritionist-295f6845ecf9) antioxidant-rich fruit, fiber-packed leafy greens, and [lean proteins](https://medium.com/famously-healthy/try-4-foods-harvard-brain-expert-eats-every-day-to-stay-smart-7b0ffd83930d).

My personal favorite is [blueberries](https://medium.com/@jamesjulianwrites/this-is-the-one-most-important-food-i-eat-every-single-day-18dcd64b967c), or ‘brain berries’ as I’ve come to know them.

**But is there one uber-powerful brain food to rule them all?**

According to one Harvard nutritionist, there is.

And, unfortunately, I struggle to get enough of it.

I bet you do too.

![A woman shopping for healthy food at the market.](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*6rFk_3XwfVE5bRRdEqUEGw.jpeg)

What’s the №1 food to protect your brain? Read on. (Licensed by the author under the [Unsplash+ License](https://unsplash.com/plus/license))

## What we need (and I don’t get enough of)

I’m sorry, but I absolutely hate seafood.

Where do you stand on it?

I find it stinky, texturally unappealing (think scallops and lobster), and I mostly dislike the taste.

The problem is that seafood is about as good as it gets as a source of omega-3s, which according to Harvard nutritionist Uma Naidoo, is the most important food you can eat to support healthy brain function.

Here’s what she [wrote for CNBC recently](https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/nutrition/harvard-nutritionist-the-no-1-nutrient-you-need-for-a-healthy-brain-and-the-best-way-to-get-it/ar-AA1nE2Zd?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=01fcf2e9a4244864a3bbd32b7e8d0c8a&ei=15):

*“While supplements can help provide these nutrients, I always tell people to first go to real foods, especially for fatty acids like omega-3s.*

*“When you eat a whole food you get additional vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein.*

*“It’s a good foundation upon which to build a healthy eating plan.*

==*“Omega-3s are found in wild-caught fatty fish like anchovies, sardines, and salmon.*==

*“Wild Sockeye salmon in particular contains levels of EPA and DHA that are beneficial to our brain’s health.*

*“An average salmon filet in the U.S. is about three to four ounces and the suggested amount to eat per week is about eight.*

*“So one should try to get omega-3-rich fish onto your plate at least twice a week.”*

So what’s the solution if, like me, seafood kinda grosses you out?

![Fish is a good source of omega-3s](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*DDIIG5GI0QbMEAv00bHdgg.jpeg)

Fish? It’s a no from me. (Licensed by the author under the [Unsplash+ License](https://unsplash.com/plus/license))

## Why not supplements?

Fish oil supplements have come under a lot of scrutiny, and one worrisome study recently suggested you might want to [avoid them altogether if you’re over 40](https://medium.com/famously-healthy/over-40-1-new-reason-you-might-want-to-skip-taking-fish-oil-doc-08de15359f53).

**The good news is that there are some great plant-based sources of omega-3s.**

As Naidoo notes:

*“If you are like me and don’t eat seafood (I was raised vegetarian), you may be relieved to know it is still possible to get adequate omega-3s from plant-based sources, including…*

- *Chia seeds*
- *Sesame seeds*
- *Walnuts*
- *Flax seeds*

*“About one ounce of chia seeds is more than your daily recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids and delivers about 5,000 mg.*

*“If you eat eggs, aim for the pasture-raised kind. Be sure to add turmeric with a pinch of black pepper to optimize the impact for brain health.”*

**I could be better at this.**

I do have a bunch of chia seeds in my freezer and it’s the easiest thing to throw into a smoothie.

I’ve also experimented with throwing walnuts into those smoothies as well, though I find the bitter aftertaste kind of shines through.