When it comes to nutrition, it must
be mentioned that there are all
sorts of foods: some super-foods
are your greatest allies against
extra pounds, while others
stimulate your cognitive function
and improve your memory. On the
oth
er hand, some foods are known
to have a devastating effect on your
brain functioning, and nutritionists
advise us to consume them
moderately in order to limit their
negative impact. Having said that,
here are the top 11 foods that kill
your intelligence, slowly but surely:
1. Sugary Products
Sugar and sugary products are bad
not only for your waistline, but for
your brain function as well. Long-
term consumption of sugar can
create a wealth of neurological
problems, and it can also interfere
with your memory. On the other
hand, sugar can also interfere with
your ability to learn, this is why it is
recommended to avoid pre-baked
goods, sugar, corn syrup and
products that are high in fructose.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol is known to harm your liver
in the long run, and it also causes
what is known as “brain fog”. Like
the name suggests, the term of
brain fog refers to a feeling of
mental confusion, it acts like a
cloud that impacts your ability to
think clearly, as well as your
memory. Have you ever noticed
that you cannot remember
common item names, or you
cannot recall certain events or you
are not sure whether they were
dreams or they actually happened?
This might be influenced by the
high alcohol intake which impacts
the balance of the brain.
Fortunately, these symptoms are
reversible provided that you stop
consuming alcohol, or you limit your
intake to one or two drinks per
week.
3. Junk Food
A recent study that was performed
at the University of Montreal has
revealed that junk food can change
the chemicals in the brains, thus
leading to symptoms associated
with depression and anxiety.
Besides, foods that are high in fat
can also trigger some symptoms
that are similar to the signs of
withdrawal when you stop
consuming them. These foods
affect the production of dopamine,
an important chemical that
promotes happiness and an overall
feeling of well-being. Moreover,
dopamine also supports the
cognitive function, the learning
capacity, alertness, motivation and
memory. This is why it is important
to avoid all foods that contain
excessive fat.
4. Fried Foods
Almost all processed foods contain
chemicals, dyes, additives, artificial
flavors, preservatives and such –
these can affect the behavior and
the cognitive functioning due to the
chemical that causes hyperactivity,
both in children and in adults. Fried
or processed foods slowly destroy
the nerve cells located in the brain.
However, some oils are more
dangerous than others – sunflower
oil is considered to be among the
most toxic ones.
5. Processed Or Pre-Cooked
Foods
Just like fried foods, processed or
pre-cooked foods also impact your
central nervous system and they
also increase the risk of developing
a degenerative brain disorder later
in live (such as Alzheimer’s
disease).
6. Very Salty Foods
Everybody knows that salty foods
affect your blood pressure and they
are very hard on your heart.
However, as research suggests,
foods that contain high amounts of
salt (sodium) can affect your
cognitive function and impair your
ability to think. Otherwise stated,
salty foods affect your intelligence!
As a matter of fact, the
consumption of salty foods and
nicotine have been shown to have
the same effects as drugs, as they
cause harsh withdrawal symptoms
and cravings for salty foods.
7. Grains, Except 100% Whole
Grain
All sorts of grains have an impact on
your brain functioning and your
overall health, except for 100%
whole grain which is very rich and
fiber and it is known to prevent
arterial aging. If you consume
regular grains, your body risks to
age quicker than it is supposed to
and you can also experience
memory loss and brain fog. Having
said that, try swapping the regular
carbs for the complex
carbohydrates – all you need to do
is to opt for whole grain bread!
8. Processed Proteins
Proteins are the building blocks of
muscles and they are very
important for the proper
functioning of your body. Meat is
the richest source of high-quality
protein, but avoid overly processed
protein such as hot dogs, salami,
sausages and such. Unlike the
natural proteins that help your
body insulate the nervous system,
processed proteins do exactly the
opposite. Opt for natural fish
(especially tuna and salmon), dairy,
walnuts and seeds as these are
natural, high-quality protein
sources.
9. Avoid Trans Fats At All Costs
Trans fats cause a series of
problems, from heart-related issues
to elevated cholesterol and
obesity. However, they are bad for
your brain as well, as they make
your brain more sluggish, they
affect your reflexes and the quality
of your brain response – not to
mention that they increase the risk
of stroke!
Trans fats can also have other
effects on your brain: if consumed
for too long, they can result in a
sort of brain shrinkage that is
somewhat similar to the shrinkage
caused by Alzheimer’s disease. This
brain shrinkage takes place due to
the fact that trans fats slowly
damage the arteries – you can
prevent this and lower the stroke
risk by simply limiting your intake of
trans fats.
10. Artificial Sweeteners
When people try to lose weight,
they tend to think that they will
become slim overnight by simply
replacing sugar with artificial
sweeteners. It is true that artificial
sweeteners do contain less calories,
but they can actually do more harm
than good! If used for an extended
period of time, artificial sweeteners
can cause brain damage and
interfere with your cognitive
capacity, especially if you use high
amounts of sweetener.
11. Nicotine
Despite the fact that nicotine is not
really a food product, it still wreaks
havoc on your brain by restricting
the blood flow to this important
organ, along with the regular flow
of glucose and oxygen. Nicotine not
only causes premature aging, bad
breath and poses an increased risk
for lung cancer, but it also affects
the production and the function of
neurotransmitters by tightening the
capillaries, the tiny blood vessels
that play a pivotal role when it
comes to your brain function.
be mentioned that there are all
sorts of foods: some super-foods
are your greatest allies against
extra pounds, while others
stimulate your cognitive function
and improve your memory. On the
oth
er hand, some foods are known
to have a devastating effect on your
brain functioning, and nutritionists
advise us to consume them
moderately in order to limit their
negative impact. Having said that,
here are the top 11 foods that kill
your intelligence, slowly but surely:
1. Sugary Products
Sugar and sugary products are bad
not only for your waistline, but for
your brain function as well. Long-
term consumption of sugar can
create a wealth of neurological
problems, and it can also interfere
with your memory. On the other
hand, sugar can also interfere with
your ability to learn, this is why it is
recommended to avoid pre-baked
goods, sugar, corn syrup and
products that are high in fructose.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol is known to harm your liver
in the long run, and it also causes
what is known as “brain fog”. Like
the name suggests, the term of
brain fog refers to a feeling of
mental confusion, it acts like a
cloud that impacts your ability to
think clearly, as well as your
memory. Have you ever noticed
that you cannot remember
common item names, or you
cannot recall certain events or you
are not sure whether they were
dreams or they actually happened?
This might be influenced by the
high alcohol intake which impacts
the balance of the brain.
Fortunately, these symptoms are
reversible provided that you stop
consuming alcohol, or you limit your
intake to one or two drinks per
week.
3. Junk Food
A recent study that was performed
at the University of Montreal has
revealed that junk food can change
the chemicals in the brains, thus
leading to symptoms associated
with depression and anxiety.
Besides, foods that are high in fat
can also trigger some symptoms
that are similar to the signs of
withdrawal when you stop
consuming them. These foods
affect the production of dopamine,
an important chemical that
promotes happiness and an overall
feeling of well-being. Moreover,
dopamine also supports the
cognitive function, the learning
capacity, alertness, motivation and
memory. This is why it is important
to avoid all foods that contain
excessive fat.
4. Fried Foods
Almost all processed foods contain
chemicals, dyes, additives, artificial
flavors, preservatives and such –
these can affect the behavior and
the cognitive functioning due to the
chemical that causes hyperactivity,
both in children and in adults. Fried
or processed foods slowly destroy
the nerve cells located in the brain.
However, some oils are more
dangerous than others – sunflower
oil is considered to be among the
most toxic ones.
5. Processed Or Pre-Cooked
Foods
Just like fried foods, processed or
pre-cooked foods also impact your
central nervous system and they
also increase the risk of developing
a degenerative brain disorder later
in live (such as Alzheimer’s
disease).
6. Very Salty Foods
Everybody knows that salty foods
affect your blood pressure and they
are very hard on your heart.
However, as research suggests,
foods that contain high amounts of
salt (sodium) can affect your
cognitive function and impair your
ability to think. Otherwise stated,
salty foods affect your intelligence!
As a matter of fact, the
consumption of salty foods and
nicotine have been shown to have
the same effects as drugs, as they
cause harsh withdrawal symptoms
and cravings for salty foods.
7. Grains, Except 100% Whole
Grain
All sorts of grains have an impact on
your brain functioning and your
overall health, except for 100%
whole grain which is very rich and
fiber and it is known to prevent
arterial aging. If you consume
regular grains, your body risks to
age quicker than it is supposed to
and you can also experience
memory loss and brain fog. Having
said that, try swapping the regular
carbs for the complex
carbohydrates – all you need to do
is to opt for whole grain bread!
8. Processed Proteins
Proteins are the building blocks of
muscles and they are very
important for the proper
functioning of your body. Meat is
the richest source of high-quality
protein, but avoid overly processed
protein such as hot dogs, salami,
sausages and such. Unlike the
natural proteins that help your
body insulate the nervous system,
processed proteins do exactly the
opposite. Opt for natural fish
(especially tuna and salmon), dairy,
walnuts and seeds as these are
natural, high-quality protein
sources.
9. Avoid Trans Fats At All Costs
Trans fats cause a series of
problems, from heart-related issues
to elevated cholesterol and
obesity. However, they are bad for
your brain as well, as they make
your brain more sluggish, they
affect your reflexes and the quality
of your brain response – not to
mention that they increase the risk
of stroke!
Trans fats can also have other
effects on your brain: if consumed
for too long, they can result in a
sort of brain shrinkage that is
somewhat similar to the shrinkage
caused by Alzheimer’s disease. This
brain shrinkage takes place due to
the fact that trans fats slowly
damage the arteries – you can
prevent this and lower the stroke
risk by simply limiting your intake of
trans fats.
10. Artificial Sweeteners
When people try to lose weight,
they tend to think that they will
become slim overnight by simply
replacing sugar with artificial
sweeteners. It is true that artificial
sweeteners do contain less calories,
but they can actually do more harm
than good! If used for an extended
period of time, artificial sweeteners
can cause brain damage and
interfere with your cognitive
capacity, especially if you use high
amounts of sweetener.
11. Nicotine
Despite the fact that nicotine is not
really a food product, it still wreaks
havoc on your brain by restricting
the blood flow to this important
organ, along with the regular flow
of glucose and oxygen. Nicotine not
only causes premature aging, bad
breath and poses an increased risk
for lung cancer, but it also affects
the production and the function of
neurotransmitters by tightening the
capillaries, the tiny blood vessels
that play a pivotal role when it
comes to your brain function.
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