3 “surprising good-for-you” foods that scientists have discovered to enhance the brain’s mental functions:

1.      Coffee

If you’re trying to kick your java habit you might want to reconsider. A recent Finnish study of 1,400 longtime coffee drinkers reveals that people who sipped between three to five cups of coffee a day in their 40s and 50s reduced their odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 65 percent compared with those who downed fewer than two cups a day.

Researchers believe that coffee’s caffeine and ample antioxidants are the keys to its protective affects.

2.      Eggs

The incredible edible egg appears to do incredulous things for your brain. Whole eggs are not only high in protein, and low in calories, but they are also rich in Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. B vitamins may help prevent inflammation and aid in the new brain cell development. Look for eggs such as Eggland’s Best Eggs, or other “higher” omega-3 fatty acids eggs (they even taste better). Recommendation: 4 whole eggs per week.

3.      Chocolate
You’ve heard the good news that chocolate can lower your blood pressure. Now researchers have discovered it can also keep your mind sharp.
A 2009 Journal of Nutrition study found that eating as little as one-third of an ounce of chocolate a day (the size of about two Hersey’s kisses) helps protect against age-related memory loss. They credit polyphenols in cocoa with increasing blood flow to the brain.