Many of the foods we eat supply the raw ingredients for manufacturing a specific and particularly important chemical in the brain, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters play the part of relaying, amplifying, and modulating signals between a neuron and another cell. If these vital chemicals are below optimum levels, our general mental health – and most importantly, our memory – suffers.
It is imperative that we induce certain foods into our diet that correspond to each of these different types of neurotransmitters. Your body synthesizes specific amino acids that are contained in the foods you eat, forming neurotransmitters. Just to give our readers a small glimpse of the vital importance of neurotransmitters and the corresponding foods that aid in producing them, we’ll go over just three of the forty different types of neurotransmitters that are most essential to our everyday memory function and overall mental health.
For example, when your body digests the amino acid L-Glutamine from foods such as peas and sunflower seeds, your body synthesizes it into the neurotransmitter called GABA. GABA plays a central role in your ability to stay calm, and when you’re calm, you remember things with relative ease.
You can find L-Glutamine in the following foods:
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Peaches
- Granola
- Grape Juice
- Peas
- Sunflower seeds
The amino acid L-Tryptophan affects the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin regulates your mood, and when levels are low, you can get thoroughly depressed. When you’re depressed, so is your ability to remember.
You can find L-Tryptophan in the following foods:
- Almonds
- Milk
- Shredded wheat
- Soybeans
- Turkey
The amino acid L-Phenylalanine affects the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Norepinephrine increases energy levels and keeps you from suffering depression, consequently helping with your memory.
L-Phenylalanine can be found in the following foods:
- Chicken
- Lima Beans
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Yogurt