ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the effects of food and food patterns on cognitive function. The human brain has high energy and nutrient needs. Intakes of energy and several different nutrients affect levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, and therefore have an impact on mental health. There is evidence that people who eat more fruit and vegetables have better mental health. The central nervous system requires a constant supply of glucose, and adequate brain function and maintenance depend on almost all essential nutrients. There are candidate food based strategies that may minimise cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a premature neuro-degenerative disease of the brain which has now become a leading cause of morbidity among older people and of premature death globally. The mind is said to comprise cognitive functions like consciousness, thought, memory, judgement, perception and communication. The most common link between food and mood is the daily cue that hunger provides for food ingestion.
