Foods for memory: the complete list

What the brain needs

A hungry organ, and a demanding one.

The brain makes up about 2% of body weight, yet on its own it uses around 20% of the energy the body spends at rest. It works day and night and stores almost nothing: it depends on what you give it, meal after meal.

To work well, and therefore to remember, it needs three things. Steady fuel, in the form of glucose released gradually, rather than sugar spikes followed by crashes. Good fats, because almost 60% of its dry mass is made of lipids, including DHA, an omega-3 that is part of the structure of neurons. And micronutrients : B vitamins, iron, iodine and zinc, which help make neurotransmitters and carry oxygen.

Add the polyphenols from fruit, vegetables, tea or cocoa, widely studied for their antioxidant role, and you have the specification for a "memory" plate. Good news: it matches a classic Mediterranean diet point for point.

The complete list

Foods for memory, one by one.

Here are the foods that come up most often in studies and nutrition guidelines, with what they provide and a simple way to fit them into your week.

Oily fish and omega-3

Oily fish, top of the list.

If you had to remember just one food for memory, it would probably be oily fish. Sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon and anchovies are the best food sources of DHA, a long-chain omega-3 found in large amounts in the membranes of neurons.

It is one of the rare cases where European regulations recognise a direct link between a nutrient and the brain: DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function, an effect obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg. In practice, a portion of sardines or mackerel provides far more than that, hence the classic advice to eat fish twice a week, including one oily fish.

Small oily fish have a double advantage: they are inexpensive, tinned as well as fresh, and they are low in the food chain, which limits their mercury content. Large predators, such as swordfish, shark or bluefin tuna, should be eaten less often, especially during pregnancy.

Greens and colours

A portion of greens every day.

Leafy green vegetables are often left off lists of brain foods, yet they produced one of the most striking results in the research. Spinach, lamb's lettuce, rocket, chard, kale, green salad: they are rich in folate (vitamin B9), vitamin K, lutein, nitrates and polyphenols.

In an American study published in 2018, Martha Clare Morris and her team followed 960 older people for almost five years. Those who ate around one portion of leafy greens a day had a clearly slower decline in memory and thinking than those who almost never ate them, a gap equivalent to eleven years of ageing. An observational study, showing an association and not a cause, but a solid result in line with the rest of the research.

Other vegetables count too. Broccoli, cabbage, peppers, beetroot, carrots, tomatoes: the more colourful your plate, the more you vary the families of polyphenols and carotenoids. A simple rule of thumb: half the plate vegetables, at lunch and dinner.

• A handful of lamb's lettuce or rocket under your evening meal.
• Frozen spinach added to an omelette, a soup or pasta.
• Broccoli roasted in the oven with olive oil and garlic.
• A mixed salad at lunch, with pulses and walnuts.

Nuts, olive oil and berries

The everyday Mediterranean trio.

Nuts, and walnuts in particular, provide plant-based omega-3s (ALA), vitamin E, magnesium and polyphenols. A small handful a day, around thirty grams, plain and unsalted, is enough.

Extra virgin olive oil is the reference fat of the Mediterranean diet. It provides monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, which are better preserved when it is used raw or for gentle cooking. Alternate it with rapeseed or walnut oil, richer in omega-3s, in your dressings.

Berries, with blueberries in the lead, are rich in anthocyanins, the pigments that give them their colour. Several small studies have explored their effect on memory in older people, with encouraging results but in very small groups.

Vitamins and minerals

The nutrients that really matter.

Beyond the star foods, some nutrients have a recognised role in how the brain works. European regulations set out exactly what can be said about them. Here are the main ones, with the foods that provide the most.

A varied diet covers most of these needs. Two groups deserve particular attention: vegans, for whom a vitamin B12 supplement is essential, and people over 60, whose absorption of B12 decreases. If you have persistent tiredness or any doubt, a simple blood test can check iron, B12 and folate.

Spices and herbs

Rosemary, turmeric, saffron: spices for the mind.

Some spices and herbs have long been known as memory plants, and they now interest researchers. They do not replace the rest of the plate, but they add polyphenols and plenty of flavour, which helps you cook more vegetables.

Rosemary has been called the herb of remembrance since ancient times. Small British studies have found better memory scores in volunteers exposed to its aroma. Fresh on roasted vegetables or as a tea after a meal, it is the easiest herb to adopt. To find out more, see our tips for revising for exams.

Turmeric contains curcuminoids that are widely studied in the laboratory. They are poorly absorbed on their own: combine turmeric with a pinch of black pepper and a little fat, in a curry, a soup or a golden milk.

Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, has been the subject of several trials on mood. A few threads are enough to flavour a risotto or a bouillabaisse, and it is one of the ingredients in our formula Focus.

What weighs on memory

The foods and habits to limit.

Adding good foods is good. Removing the ones that tire the brain is often even more effective. Here are the main ones to watch.

Sleep deserves a special mention. It is during deep sleep that the brain sorts and consolidates what you learned during the day. A perfect plate will never make up for five-hour nights. To find out more, read our guide on mushrooms, adaptogenic plants and sleep.

A typical day

A day of foods for memory.

No need for complicated menus. Here is what an ordinary day that ticks every box can look like, with foods you can find anywhere.

Plants and mushrooms

And supplements for memory?

Once the plate is sorted, some people want to go further, especially during periods of intense mental work, exams or tiredness. Several plants and mushrooms are being studied in this area, with results that are still modest and studies that are often small.

These ingredients come together, with saffron, in Focus, our capsule formula to take as a 30-day course. For those who prefer a cup, Brainstoorm combines Lion's Mane, Cordyceps and Chaga at 1,000 mg each and 3,000 mg of maca, with only 20 mg of microencapsulated caffeine. And the BrainPower Pack brings the two together, with Energy. To compare ingredients, see our guide to natural nootropics.

A food supplement does not replace a varied, balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are on medication, particularly anticoagulants.

Memory loss: when to see a doctor

Memory loss: the signs not to ignore.

Forgetting where you put your keys, a name on the tip of your tongue, walking into a room without knowing why: these small lapses are normal, and they increase with tiredness, stress and mental overload. Food doesn't fix them; rest and fewer distractions do.

Some memory loss, however, should lead you to see your doctor, who can look for a specific cause: vitamin B12 deficiency, a thyroid disorder, depression, a side effect of medication, sleep problems such as apnoea, or a neurological disease.

• Forgetfulness increases clearly over a few months.
• You forget important recent events, or repeat the same questions.
• You get lost in a familiar place.
• You struggle with usual tasks, such as managing money or following a familiar recipe.
• Those close to you are worried about changes you don't notice yourself.
• The problems appear after a head injury or a new treatment, or come with other symptoms.

Sources

1. Morris M. C. et al. (2015). MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 11(9).
2. Valls-Pedret C. et al. (2015). Mediterranean diet and age-related cognitive decline: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(7).
3. Morris M. C. et al. (2018). Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: prospective study. Neurology, 90(3).
4. Barnes L. L. et al. (2023). Trial of the MIND diet for prevention of cognitive decline in older persons. New England Journal of Medicine, 389(7).
5. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.

Keep reading

Go further.

Memory is also built through sleep, stress management and focus. Discover our other guides, or browse the page of all our active ingredients.