Foods that feed your brain

For many years, researchers have thought about the brain as an organ separate from the rest of the body. It sits like a bowling ball on top of our shoulders, boasting no less than 100 billion neurons.

In the past decade, though, researchers and nutrition experts such as Rebecca Katz of San Rafael have started to look at the brain in a more holistic manner and have started talking about neurogenesis, the idea that the brain can regenerate neurons over time.

“This is a whole new game... Now we know that the brain can evolve and shift and change,” said Katz, who wrote “The Healthy Mind Cookbook: Big-Flavor Recipes to Enhance Brain Function, Mood, Memory and Mental Clarity.” “How are you going to feed it now? Because how you feed it now will make a big difference in how you feel later.”

Katz will talk about her new cookbook, and the research behind it, in a panel discussion on Feb. 28 at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato. Also on the panel will be Dr. Dale Bredesen, a UCLA neurology professor who researches treatments for Alzheimer’s and works part-time at the Buck Institute.

“We’re seeing how much a good diet can do in these chronic illnesses, and how causal the poor diets are,” Bredesen said. “It’s not only what to eat, but what not to eat.”

Katz first touched on the brain in her third cookbook, “The Longevity Kitchen,” where she sought the answers to questions like, “What does it mean to create an inhospitable environment for disease to manifest itself?” and “How does what we eat affect how we feel, mentally and physically?”

“If your body is in an inflamed state, you are more likely and more receptive to some of the chronic diseases,” she said. “And they are all connected.”

After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City in 1998, Katz did an internship at The Chopra Center for Well-Being in La Jolla, then took a job as a vegetarian chef at Raven Restaurant at the Stanford Inn in Mendocino.

Now, 15 years into her journey, she has shared some of the new nutritional research about the brain in her fourth cookbook, just out this month.

Breaking it down: Check out an infographic on how different foods benefit or hinder your brain's activity.

Here are 10 top tips for feeding a healthy brain, from both Katz and Bredesen:

1. Eat good fat, not bad. Oils high in omega-6 (polyunsaturated fatty acids) can adversely affect the heart as well as the brain. These include highly processed seed and corn oils that are often found in the standard American diet.

“This is worrisome, because any time you’re dealing with that, it will cause inflammation,” she said. In her cookbook she lists the good fats (coconut oil, ghee or clarified butter, grapeseed oil, extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil) as well as the bad (corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, trans-fats and polyunsaturated fats, among others).

“The brain is 60 percent fat, so that means your brain needs good, healthy fats like avocados, nuts and seeds,” she said, “and healthy oils like olive oil.”

2. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. “That’s where all the phytonutrients and good phytochemicals are that combat inflammation in the body,” she said. “In those, there are these sub-sets - antioxidants, and the herb and spice kingdom, which is amazingly anti-inflammatory.”

3. Go easy on carbohydrates and sugar. When you are eating a lot of refined carbohydrates and sugars, your pancreas has to work harder to pump out more insulin. Then it gets tired, and your blood sugar goes up. And that’s “the surest way to get yourself into a brain fog,” Katz said.

To combat that, eat plenty of good fats, lots of vegetables (fiber) and lots of seeds and nuts, especially pumpkin seeds.

“They are like mini-vacuum cleaners going in,” she said.

4. Hydrate with water, soups, broths. “We tend to run under-hydrated, but the brain needs hydration for optimal running,” she said. “If you’re drinking Diet Coke, all of these are brain zappers. Think about infused waters or a green tea chai.”

In the cookbook, Katz also includes a recipe for Brain Tea, made with green tea, cinnamon, orange peel, blueberry juice and cherry or pomegranate juice.

“Soups and bone broths are incredibly hydrating,” said Katz, who came up with a vegetable-based Magic Mineral Broth. made with kombu (edible kelp), bay leaf, juniper berries, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and celery.

5. Eat lots of spices and herbs. “Spices not only add tremendous flavor, but they are anti- inflammatory and incredibly high in antioxidants,” she said. “Parsley and cilantro are big for opening up the windows in your brain.”

Mint is also good for mental focus. Curcumin, the compound found in turmeric, is anti-inflammatory, along with ginger. A quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day can help you regulate blood sugar, Katz said.

“When you have Alzheimer’s you have insulin resistance,” Bredesen said. “When you have chronically high levels of insulin, it’s like rooming with your brother and the stereo is on loud and you put earmuffs on. So the cells do the same thing, they become insulin-resistant … Cinnamon is helpful to return the insulin sensitivity.”

6. Think about when you eat. “There’s something to be said about having a mid-morning little something,” Katz said. “The brain likes to be fed on a regular basis.”

But at night, experts say to stop eating three hours before going to bed and stick to a 12-hour fast through the night, to allow the brain to clean itself up.

7. Avoid high-temperature cooking, especially with meat, which produces advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Researchers have linked the AGEs to Alzheimer’s as one possible cause of the accumulation of amyloid placques. according to Bredesen.

8. Eat plenty of cold-water ocean fish, like wild salmon. The fats are extremely important to feed the brain,” Bredesen said. and fresh-fish oil is an ideal source.

9. Eat foods that appeal to your individual taste. Take a look at the junk food that you like. Does it have a crispy and crunchy textures? A salty or sweet flavor?

Then incorporate those into your meals, so you don’t feel like you are depriving yourself. Instead, you’re creating what Katz calls “sustainable nourishment.”

10. Make your food delicious. “When the food is loaded with taste and flavor, you really feel good about eating it,” Katz said. “It’s a way of life.”

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The following recipes are from Rebecca Katz’s “The Healthy Mind Cookbook,” (Ten Speed Press, 2015).

“There are plenty of brain boosters in this soup, notably the spices; curcumin has been shown to fight depression, and may play a role in the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, genes that help with memory and learning and help brain neurons function and survive.”

Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 small yellow onions, diced small

1 fennel bulb, diced small

2 stalks celery, chopped

- Sea salt

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice

1 carrot, peeled and diced small

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

- Pinch of red pepper flakes

- Pinch of saffron (optional)

6 cups Classic Magic Mineral Broth or store-bought organic vegetable broth

4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15-ounce cans), rinsed

- Freshly squeezed lemon juice

- Freshly ground black pepper

- Grade B maple syrup (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add the onions, fennel, celery, and a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the sweet potato and carrot and sauté another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, ½ teaspoon of salt, coriander, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and saffron and stir for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Pour in ½ cup of the broth to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the pot, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Spritz the chickpeas with lemon juice, add a pinch of salt, and stir, then add to the pot. Add the remaining 5½ cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle 4 cups of the soup into a blender and process for 1 minute or until velvety smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the soup and cook over low heat, just until heated through.

Stir in 4 teaspoons of lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste; You may want to add a pinch of salt, a drop or so of maple syrup, or a squeeze of lemon juice. Served garnished with the cilantro and mint.

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“Here’s a surprising combination,” she writes. “Rosemary tends to be assertive, while pears go mellow; together they make an unbeatable team. This muffin is as Mediterranean as they come. “

Rosemary and Pear Muffins

Makes 24 mini-muffins

2 cups almond meal

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 large organic eggs

3½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ tablespoon lemon juice

½ tablespoon water

1½ teaspoons Grade B maple syrup

½ cup diced ripe Anjou pear

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1½ teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a mini muffin tin or line it with muffin papers.

In a bowl, mix together the almond meal, salt, pepper, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, water and maple syrup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well to combine. Then add in the pears, walnuts and rosemary. Fill each muffin cup with about 2 tablespoons of batter.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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“Studies suggest walnuts may boost memory, while chocolate, as we all know, is the ultimate moodboosting agent.” seh writes. “One bite of this dessert and you’d be hard-pressed to feel any stress.”

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Truffles

Makes about 20 truffles

2 tablespoons boiling water

2 ounces dark chocolate (64 to 72% cacao content),very finely chopped

½ cup walnuts

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup pitted and halved Medjool dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Sea salt

¼ cup finely diced dried cherries

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

¼ teaspoon curry powder

Stir the boiling water into the chopped chocolate and let it stand for 30 seconds. Using a small whisk, stir until the chocolate is completely melted and glossy. Coarsely grind the walnuts in a food processor, then add the cocoa powder, dates, vanilla, and ? teaspoon of salt, and process for a minute. Then add the chocolate mixture and process until smooth, another minute. Transfer to a bowl and stir the cherries into the chocolate mixture.

Cover and chill for approximately 2 hours, in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer until firm. On a plate, mix the coconut, curry powder, and a pinch of salt. Scoop up approximately 2 teaspoons of the chilled chocolate mixture and roll it into a smooth ball between your palms, then roll it in the curried coconut to coat. Repeat with the remaining mixture, then place the truffles in an airtight container and chill thoroughly before serving.

Cook’s note: If you want to give the truffles a golden hue, toast the coconut in a 300 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@ pressdemocrat.com