Music
Angela Guo: So, it's the old adage on what you eat
when I eaτ sugary or caffeinated food I often find myself, like unable to focus
So, eating healthier food has a significant impact on
how well I can focus, as well as how quick I can focus.
Sanjay Gupta: That's Angela Guo.
She's a 17-year old senior at Adlai Stevenson high school
in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
And that adage she just cited, "You are what you eat",
that's been around since the 1800's.
People have known for a long time just how much food affects us.
But it's not just in term of long-term health,
but also short-term mood.
And sio eating healthier food has a significant impact
AG Food really helps us maintain a safe clarity
on how well I can focus, as well as how quick I can think.
SG: She may only be in high school but Angela has already made
the crucial connection between what she puts in her mouth
and how quickly that affects her brain.
She even believes that simple understanding
gave her a real advantage when she competed
in the National Science Olympiad tournament earlier this year.
Announcer: First place: National champions of the 2023 Science xxxx
national tournament: Adlai Stevenson high school of Illinois, let's go!!
SG: Now at this tournament earlier this year,
Angela and her team mates went up against thousands of students
from around the country.
They were competing in events highlighting chemistry, and neuroscience
and biology.
But here is the thing: the entire time on Angela's team
you really didn't see much sugar around.
Instead, there were lots of healthy snacks.
AG So, even at school, I bring my own lunch
and it's just the asset of knowing what goes into your meals
is like really important, it kind of gives you peace of mind.
SG: The team did really well, and now as they prepare for more tournaments,
Angela, who now is team captain, says, sure, they study hard,
but what they eat, how they eat, that's also top of mind.
AG: When we do travel for science contests our cook always makes sure that
we are well stocked with fruit and water.
SG: So Angela seems pretty convinced that food helps her focus
and perform well academically.
Of course, that makes sense but the question today,
"What is the empirical evidence to support that and how does it work?
How exactly does food impact the brain?
And how do we really know when our brain is well nourished?"
Uma Naidoo: Sugar is not food for brain.
But I also want people to understand we need sugar for our body and our brain,
so it's the way we get the sugar that's important.
SG: Look, a lot of people worry about how food influences the way we look,
how much weight we may gain -- I get that --
or the likelihood we're going to be high risk for diseases,
like diabetes and hypertension.
But even though it is harder to measure, food is also deeply connected
to how we feel in the moment and how well the brain functions.
Even as you listen to this podcast, your experience, right now,
is likely affected by what you ate earlier today.
So in this episode, I'm going to find out what is the best fuel for the brain,
what food we should avoid and what it really means
to have a well-nourished brain.
I'm Dr Sanjay Gupta, CNN's Chief medical correspondent
and this is Chasing life.
You know, I love hearing stories like Angela's.
They're so personal.
She's someone who's paying attention to her body and the sh'e figuring out
what makes her feel good and what it takes to do the activities she loves.
She's being really intentional with her nutrition
and that may save her from having health problems later in life
but it could help optimize her function now.
For me, food is an endless source of fascination.
The way that I think about it is this:
food is one of the most significant ways we allow our outside world to influence
and communicate with our inside world, the world inside of our body and our mind.
That is an awesome task: food does that.
So I thought today we would start with the basics.
We know that all food items have calories and calories are by definition energy
but, as you just heard, not all calories are created equal.
Some have more nutrients and do more to promote
overall health and well-being than others.
And that is especially true when it comes to the brain.
But the challenge again: that's hard to measure.
There is no brain scan or blood test that indicates that a particular food
promotes brain health.
So how do we really know?
How do you really know what works for you? 5:04