Are you stuck in a recipe rut, cooking the same limited meals over and over again? Are you looking for ways to boost your brain health?
The new ‘Upgrade Your Brain Cook App’, from foodforthebrain.org, is likely the answer you’re looking for. It not only gives you easy meals from breakfasts to snacks, main meals and desserts, but each recipe is designed to ‘dementia proof’ your brain.
Launched this month by the educational charity Food For The Brain, the recipes are based on extensive research which has identified the four critical qualities of meals that link to better mood, memory and mental energy, banishing brain fog and forgetfulness. These essential components are: ‘a good quantity of brain fats, slow releasing carbs, antioxidants and B-vitamins.
Each recipe is scored accordingly and if you choose something missing one of these critical components it then shows you what to eat next, or how to adapt what you’re eating, to hit the brain friendly zone.
“These are all easy to make, tried and test recipes. We hope the App will not only get people out of the recipe rut but also educate and energise them in the process” says founder Patrick Holford, a nutritionist, psychologist and author of 48 books including his latest: Upgrade Your Brain.
And the extra good news? What’s good for the brain is good for the body.
A recent study from the UK Biobank data shows that increased intake of omega-3 from fish oils reduces the risk of 35 diseases. “As far as fish is concerned, we say ‘SMASH it – S for salmon, M for mackerel, A for anchovies, S for sardines and H for herring or kipper. But many people don’t know how to make delicious food with fish. The Upgrade Your Brain Cook App has lots of delicious recipes from breakfasts to desserts, snacks and main meals, each with brain-friendly attributes.” Continues Holford.
Each recipe prioritises: Low sugar (GL-friendly) options to help stabilise blood sugar and support healthy weight management. Brain-fat friendly ingredients to provide the right fats such as omega-3 for cognitive function. B-vitamin rich meals to support energy, methylation, and homocysteine levels—key factors in maintaining brain health. Antioxidant-rich dishes to neutralize oxidative stress, a major contributor to brain aging.
Here’s an example of a ‘perfect’ day.
Once you’ve picked a dish from the App, it shows you what to eat next to tick the box for these four brain-friendly requirements for a perfect day. This sample meu, for example, is low in GL and high in brain fats. This is important as anything below 45 GLs helps you to lose weight, and foods high in brain fats give you extra credit for the next day.
The Upgrade Your Brain Cook App also lets you tailor recipes to your dietary preferences (e.g., dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based) while ensuring your meals are both delicious and scientifically designed to promote brain health.
There are lots of delicious and easy to make recipes to suit everyone from vegans to meat eaters and those who choose to avoid gluten or other food intolerances such as Coconut & Almond Porridge; Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut-lime Dipping Sauce; Crispy Chickpea & Kale Snack Bowl; Spiced Salmon Burger with Sweet Potato Fries & Slaw; Thai Fish Cakes with Satay Dipping Sauce; Tofu-Quinoa Poke Bowl; Avo-Edamame Hummus with Flaxseed Crackers; Chaat Masala Chickpeas; Cherry Sorbet; Pineapple-Watermelon-Pomegranate Fruit Platter; and many more.
Wendy is a case in point “I lost 6 stone, reversed my diabetes and my energy came back following these principles. My memory and mood are transformed. I love this App. It makes healthy eating doable and fun. The recipes are fantastic and easy to make.”
The recipes, devised by nutritionist and chef Kim Close and Fiona McDonald Joyce (author of five recipe books) are all tried and tested, firm favourites and let you adapt even something like burger and fries into a brain-friendly recipe such as ‘Spicy Salmon Burgers with Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries’ while still being absolutely delicious.
Upgrade Your Brain Cook App Chef Kim Close:
“I wholeheartedly believe that nutritious food can, and should be, really delicious. We are passionate about creating recipes that look and taste fantastic! With this App, you can cook these recipes for yourself and your family and see how healthily they score. Each recipe helps people to upgrade their nutritional knowledge, cookery skills and enjoy brain-healthy, delicious meals.”
