One of the top foods to boost your brain power is fatty fish. It is definitely a brain food you want to add to your dinner menu rotation. Fatty fish includes salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, and sardines, all of which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3s help to deliver oxygen to the brain. This is important for numerous reasons. One being to help keep Alzheimer’s disease at bay. Studies have shown that an increase in omega-3 levels can increase your blood flow and reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s.
Consumption of omega-3s has also been shown to improve learning, memory, and overall cognitive well-being.
When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a pretty heavy hitter. It’s a staple of the Mediterranean diet and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
Poaching is a cooking technique that involves cooking food at a low temperature while submerged or sitting in liquid, typically without using fat, thus making it a healthy cooking method.
Dr. Bek uses water as the liquid but uses vegetables and lemon to help provide flavor while cooking. Her poached salmon recipe is so easy; even a non-cook can make this impressive fish dish with little to no effort.
Dr. Bek’s Poached Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
1.5lb salmon (or other fish) fillet
1 onion (or scallions) sliced into large pieces
1-2 garlic cloves, cut into large pieces
Baby potatoes, halved
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Celery/carrots (optional)
Parsley, roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2-3/4 cup water
Peppers, sweet or hot, depending on preference, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 tsp salt and pepper
Directions
Place all ingredients in a pan. Cook under low to medium stove top for 15 minutes or until cooked. May be eaten warm or cold.
About Esenbike Bek, M.D.
Dr. Esenbike Bek was born in Turkey and grew up in New York City. She attended The State University of New York at Stony Brook and graduated from Ege University School of Medicine in Izmir, Turkey. She completed her residency at Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Bek has a passion for helping those in need and helping them live their healthiest lives.