What we put into our bodies will obviously affect the way we think, feel and perform. The nutrients, additives and chemicals in our food flow directly into our bloodstream, which then flows through our brain.
In short, you are what you eat. If you eat foods with additives that hinder your productivity, you’ll feel sluggish. If you eat foods that promote productivity, however, you’ll become a productivity powerhouse.
Bananas
One sugar your brain definitely needs is glucose. It’s been proven that the brain operates best when it contains about 25 grams of the stuff, and you need to absorb this as early as possible in the morning to make your productivity last. A brain full of glucose is a brain that’s ready to get up and go.
Bananas are the answer. They contain just the right amount of glucose to get your brain going, and they also provide your body with other vital nutrients that promote energy. They’re also a fruit that’s very easy to eat on the go.
Eggs
Your brain is where all of your memories are stored. If you think back to any point in time in your life, you’re utilizing your brain’s ability to store and recall emotions and sensations. Reaction time is also stored in the brain. How fast your reflexes and thoughts work greatly depends on the quality of your brain. Both your reaction time and your memory capabilities are helped via choline, a type of B Vitamin.
What food gives you a great helping of this vitamin? Eggs. The perfect breakfast protein, eating eggs in the morning can help boost your awareness, reaction time and recall throughout the day.
Coffee
It’s of course not good to become a coffee junkie, and caffeine in large doses isn’t good for you, but coffee is actually great for productivity in small doses. It’s not because it keeps you awake, either – the caffeine in coffee actually works to help improve memory, protects your eyes from spasming and also offers you antioxidants.
Dark Greens
Vegetables like spinach and kale have a lot to offer your body, and in more ways than one. Sure, they offer you incredible nutrients, phytonutrients and minerals, but there’s only one in particular we need to focus on for productivity – iron.
Iron helps oxygen move through the body, and it also increases the amount that gets to your brain. A well-oxygenated brain is one that has more control over its cognitive functions, boosting productivity.
Whole Grains
The bread group is one of the most important food groups you should be focusing on, and yet not many people do. Maybe this can explain why so many of us don’t feel as productive as we could be.
The vitamins and magnesium found in foods like whole wheat bread and brown rice can vastly improve your cognitive health. Eating more whole grain foods can eventually build up your overall cognitive health, which can be damaged by bad diet. If you’re someone who used to be a heavy soda drinker and fast food eater, whole grains can help repair the damage these foods have done to your body.
