They say you must eat breakfast... but eating 'this food' could actually be poison.

Eat a healthy breakfast✌️

Eating fruit juice or bread for breakfast is not recommended./Photo = Getty Images Bank

There is a saying that you need to eat breakfast for your brain to function well. This is because the brain operates using glucose as its energy source, and proteins and fats are used as raw materials for neurotransmitters. It is good to eat enough to satisfy your hunger, but you should avoid foods that are not good for brain blood circulation.

Drinking fruit juice for breakfast is not a good habit. While fruits are rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, the problem lies in blending them. When fruits are blended, dietary fiber is destroyed, causing the sugars inside the fruit to be absorbed more quickly by the body than when eating the fruit whole. Additionally, blending reduces the volume, increasing the risk of consuming large quantities of fruit compared to eating it without blending. Repeated excessive intake of sugars can raise blood sugar levels, leading to atrophy of the hippocampus, the center of memory, and increasing the risk of vascular dementia. Instead of fruit in the morning, it is better to eat vegetables that are not too sweet, and if you must eat fruit, it is better to cut it into pieces rather than blending it.

Refined grains such as white rice and flour are also bad for similar reasons. Refined grains raise blood sugar levels more quickly after consumption compared to unrefined grains like brown rice, negatively affecting the tiny blood vessels in the brain. When the blood becomes viscous and brain blood circulation decreases, cognitive function declines.

Foods high in animal fats and trans fats also damage the brain blood vessels. Saturated fats, which are animal fats, are found abundantly in meat fat, butter, ramen, and sausages. Trans fats are prevalent in fried foods such as snacks, fried chicken, and French fries. These high-calorie foods disrupt metabolism, preventing smooth blood supply to the brain.

It is better to have a breakfast that is not sweet and consists of unrefined foods. Foods close to raw ingredients, such as nuts, vegetable sticks, and boiled eggs, stimulate the brain through thorough chewing and swallowing. Chewing food for a longer time increases blood flow to the brain, promoting smooth cerebral blood circulation. Additionally, the more vigorous the chewing motion, the more parotin, an anti-aging hormone, is secreted from the parotid gland, which helps prevent brain aging and enhances vascular elasticity.

In the morning, it is recommended to accompany green and yellow vegetables such as spinach and kale with high-protein foods like a piece of fish, boiled eggs, tofu, or nuts. Green leafy vegetables are rich in nutrients beneficial for brain enhancement, such as beta-carotene, vitamins, and folate. Choline in eggs improves memory and prevents cognitive decline. Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel and salmon, enhance cognitive functions of the brain. Among nuts, almonds are abundant in substances that activate biological functions, such as unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, magnesium, arginine, and polyphenols, which help keep blood vessels clear and prevent cellular aging.

Reporter Lee Hae-rim lhr@chosun.com