Derval O'Rourke: The best ways to feed your brain, including my recipe for baked trout

Baked Trout with Lime & Garlic Butter

A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of gut health and some of the ways you can help to keep your gut microbiome healthy and happy. While this is incredibly important to do, there is another area of our body’s that we should be mindful of - our brains. The brain is a vital organ for us and is charged with controlling and processing things like breathing, memory, emotion, motor skills, vision and helping to regulate our body temperature and so much more to keep us alive and well. It is essentially the control centre of our body. Keeping our cognitive function sharp allows us to continue to process new information and gain knowledge which is a vital part of life! This week I will be sharing with you some of the different foods that you can incorporate into your diet that research suggests has some of these beneficial nutrients for our brains and cognitive function. I will also share with you a lovely healthy recipe for Baked Trout.

While there is no magic bullet that we can take to help keep our brains healthy and functioning to the best of its ability, there are certain foods, minerals and vitamins, that we can be aware of that will help aid us in keeping our brains healthy.

Derval O'Rourke: how to eat to your help your brain keep ticking over

While many foods have beneficial nutrients in them, not all of them will be specifically beneficial to our brains so it is important to know which ones will help to protect against damage or will help with brain development or function. There are specific foods that do this, and many are probably things that you would eat/drink normally. For me, knowledge is power, and I think it is important to be aware of the benefits of certain foods. Variety in your diet is essential for the upkeep of your entire body.

Leafy Greens: You might be sick of hearing that you need to eat your greens, but really, you need to eat them! Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli are essential for giving our bodies nutrients like Vitamin K, lutein and beta carotene. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and wound healing, lutein is very beneficial for eye health as well as contributing to healthy cognitive function. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that has many different health benefits, one in particular is that helps to protect brain function.

Fatty fish: Fish such as salmon, mackerel, rainbow trout, anchovies, sardines and tuna are all considered to be part of the ‘fatty fish’ or ‘oily fish’ classification as they are all high in Omega-3 fatty acids. These are considered to be healthy unsaturated fats that help to lower the levels of a specific protein that can form clumps in the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential in the development of the central nervous system for babies during pregnancy. Chia seeds are also a great plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids if you don’t eat animal products.

Turmeric: Turmeric, or more specifically curcumin which is the active agent in turmeric allowing it to have these health benefits, has been shown to be able to enter the brain through the blood leading to direct interaction with cells in the brain. The presence of curcumin helps to boost the development of new brain cells which could delay age-related brain decline. Curcumin also boosts the production of dopamine and serotonin leading to improved mood. Don’t forget that black pepper helps the absorption of turmeric by the body.

Nuts & Seeds: Many nuts are high in unsaturated fats which can lead to improved memory function, while seeds such as pumpkin have high levels of antioxidants that protect against free radical damage to the brain. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, magnesium, copper and iron which all contribute positively to healthy brain function.

There are so many other foods that have been shown to have positive health benefits on the brain and improve healthy brain function such as tomatoes, blueberries, green tea, eggs, dark chocolate and many more, and it’s important to be aware of this and make sure you are looking after your brain, while you are looking after the rest of your body. It’s important to note that exercise also plays a very important role in maintaining and improving healthy brain function. If you have dietary requirements that don't allow you to eat certain foods, supplements are a great option to ensure you are still receiving beneficial nutrients. However, it is always a good idea to speak to a professional before beginning to take any kind of supplement to ensure you are taking the correct one, and the correct dosage.

Wellness Tip: Try ‘mental gymnastics’ such as word puzzles or maths problems.

Fitness Tip: Don’t forget that exercise is also good for the brain. Make sure you are getting your blood pumping for at least 20 minutes a day or 150 minutes each week.

Baked Trout with Lime & Garlic Butter

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This would pair deliciously with a hearty leafy green salad topped with nuts & seeds.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 8 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 33 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter, softened

• juice and zest of ½ lime

• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• salt and pepper

• 2 x 100g trout steaks, pinboned

• Sweet potato mash , to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Combine the butter, lime zest, parsley and garlic in a small bowl. Season, mix well and set aside.

3. Place the trout steaks on a sheet of foil. Make 2–3 incisions in each steak and stuff the incisions with the herb butter. Squeeze a little lime juice over each steak and seal the foil. Place the steaks in an ovenproof dish and bake for 10 minutes. Then open the foil and bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the skin is nice and crispy.

4. Place the cooked steaks on warmed serving plates and squeeze over a little lime juice. Serve with sweet potato mash.