Did you know that the foods you eat can have a significant influence on your brain and motivation? According to the World Health Organisation, the right foods can boost your motivation, brain power and overall productivity by up to 20%. On the other hand, a study conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University showed that employees with unhealthy diets were 66 per cent more likely to report productivity loss as compared to healthy eaters.

Overall, the foods we eat have a significant impact on our work output. If you've been feeling a little sluggish at work lately, consider including these superfoods in your daily diet.

1) Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is great for satisfying a sweet tooth while improving overall focus. Consuming high-flavanol cocoa has been shown in studies to improve blood flow to the brain in young adults.

Cocoa contains stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine, which are essential in boosting cognitive performance in the short term. Dark chocolate is also high in nutrients such as magnesium, iron, and fibre, all of which can benefit your health, so consider adding some to your diet!

2) Nuts

Nuts are rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, and amino acids, giving your body the natural boost in memory and brain performance it requires for a productive day.
Almonds and walnuts, in particular, are high in brain-boosting nutrients.

Furthermore, nuts are high in protein and may help lower total and "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing "good" HDL cholesterol levels.

3) Salmon

A growing body of research suggests that eating salmon may improve brain function. In 2020, a study found that eating fish could improve memory performance, promote brain function, and protect brain structure in healthy adults.

Salmon contains a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly beneficial for improving memory and mental performance, as well as alleviating depression, which can be the complete antithesis of productivity.

4) Avocados

Avocados are incredibly popular in the health and wellness world due to their high nutritional value and numerous health benefits. Researchers at the University of Illinois in the United States conducted a 12-week study of daily meals on 84 adults with overweight or obesity for the findings, which were published in the Journal of Psychophysiology.

Participants took three cognitive tests before and after the study. Two of these showed no significant difference, but avocado eaters performed better on a task designed to assess 'attentional inhibition,' or the ability to stay focused on a task even when distracted.

“It could be that nutrients in avocados have a specific action in the brain that supports the ability to do this task in particular, or they could be more beneficial for certain cognitive abilities over others,” said Dr Naiman Khan, who led the study.

Avocados are another healthy fat for your body that tastes great and helps you focus.

5) Brown Rice

Brown rice contains a high concentration of magnesium, making it an excellent stress reliever and productivity booster. It's also high in vitamins, which help your body function properly. When your body functions properly, your cognitive functions improve, which increases efficiency.

According to one study, brown rice has anti-depressant qualities as it contains essential amino acids like glutamine, glycerin, and GABA. These inhibitory neurotransmitters may aid in the reduction of messages associated with anxiety, depression, and stress in the brain, resulting in a relaxed state of well-being.

6) Berries

Berries are helpful in keeping you mentally sharp. According to research published in the Annals of Neurology, women who ate about two servings of strawberries or one serving of blueberries per week experienced less mental decline over time than peers who did not consume these nutritional juggernauts.

The study examined data from 16,010 women over the age of 70. Those who consumed the most berries delayed cognitive decline by about two and a half years. The study author Elizabeth Devore explains that the effect might be related to a class of compounds called anthocyanidins, which is a type of flavonoid found in berries.

Berries are also rich in antioxidants, which are great for memory enhancement, especially in the workplace.

7) Water

Because your body is made up of more than 70% water, every function in your body requires water in order to function properly. According to research, even mild dehydration, defined as a loss of 1-3% of body weight, can impair many aspects of brain function. This can result in reductions in brain performance, decreased motivation, and increased fatigue.

Researchers discovered that fluid loss of 1.4% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration in a study of young women. It also increased the number of headaches. A similar study on young men was conducted by many members of the same research team. They discovered that a 1.6% decrease in fluid loss was damaging to working memory and increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue.

Adding these 7 foods to your diet may provide the boost your body requires when it is struggling to stay focused and motivated. When you're taking a break from work, snack on one of these superfoods and enjoy the boost in productivity and motivation.