Eating Write: Brain Food for Writers

Walt Whitman fancied oysters and steak for breakfast. F. Scott Fitzgerald claimed apples and canned meat helped him concentrate. Truman Capote survived on mint tea and martinis when deep into his work. Three of the greatest writers in the entire world, and no thank you…I think I’ll stick to chewing gum and drinking coffee.

Gum Chewing

A 2012 study published in Nutritional Neuroscience  found that chewing gum actually helped people focus longer without losing concentration. It was also helpful to those multi-tasking. One study pitted chewers against non-chewers. Over a period of six hours, the groups were assigned identical tasks. At first, the non-chewers appeared to have better concentration. Over time, however, the gum-chewing group out focused them and seemed to have less fatigue. Professor Gary L. Wenk, Ph. D. reports, “Overall gum chewing significantly increased alertness, quickened reaction time and increased the speed of encoding new information.”

Coffee, Chocolate, Nuts and Seeds      

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and natural stimulants, including caffeine. Nuts and seeds contain vitamin E, an excellent brain food. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc, and prove to enhance memory.  In addition, we all know what coffee does. Put the coffee, chocolate, nuts and seeds together and you have powerful writer’s brain food. I know that’s great news for most of us writers out there!

Oily Fish and Avocado

Omega-3 fatty acid is simply amazing brain food. We should eat at least two servings of fish every week. Avocado is so amazing, with all if the benefits it has, I will devote an entire post to it next time. Just know that you can’t go wrong with avocado—the miracle food.