Ever wonder why you still feel foggy or forgetful even when you’re eating “clean”? What if the foods you think are good for you are silently aging your brain? As a biohacker who’s spent decades improving my own brain performance, I’ve uncovered a shocking truth: many so-called healthy staples weaken your cognitive function, spike blood sugar, trigger inflammation, and give you massive brain fog. Here are some hidden culprits that could be sabotaging your brain health—and what to eat instead to stay sharp, focused, and vibrant every single day.
- Wheat bread
Wheat is terrible for your gut. Studies show that gliadin, one of the proteins in wheat, can cause intestinal inflammation and weaken your gut barrier [1]. Because your gut and brain are intimately tied (the gut-brain-axis), when there’s inflammation in your gut, there’s inflammation in your brain. Gluten, the other protein in wheat, is also very hard on your gut. If you’re going to eat bread, use wheat from Europe (their wheat is easier to digest) and ferment it (make sourdough). The fermentation process breaks down wheat proteins, making them easier on your gut. I recommend avoiding wheat whenever you can and instead sticking to low-toxin carbohydrate sources like white rice and low-fructose fruits like blueberries.
2. Industrial seed oils
Your brain thrives on fat, but the type of fat you eat matters. Studies suggest that the high omega?6 content in many industrial seed oils—like soybean, corn, sunflower, and canola—can promote neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, both of which impair cognitive function [2]. These fats are also highly unstable and extremely processed which means by the time they get to you they’re already rancid. Instead of seed oils, choose stable fats that fuel your brain like butter, ghee, grass-fed beef tallow, MCT oil, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Read the labels on everything you consume. Food companies sneak seed oils into uncommon foods like mustard, seasonings, or oat milk (see the next point).
3. Oat milk
Oat milk is a scam. Check the ingredients and you’ll find sugar, water, oats, seed oils, and a bunch of synthetic added vitamins that your body can’t use. Oats are high in phytic acid, which is a plant toxin that binds to minerals and prevents your body from absorbing them. To add to the problem, most oats contain glyphosate. So if you’re drinking oat milk, you’re also getting a meaningful dose of this synthetic pesticide that can cause inflammation in your brain and increase your risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease [3]. If you need to drink milk, a few good options are goat milk, raw, grass-fed A2 cows milk, coconut milk, or macadamia nut milk.
4. Brown rice
Like oats, brown rice is high in phytic acid. It’s also extremely high in arsenic, which is a harmful heavy metal. Studies show arsenic exposure creates oxidative stress in your brain and can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease [4].
5. Agave syrup
Agave syrup is around 80% fructose, a type of sugar that your body doesn’t handle well in large amounts. For reference, high fructose corn syrup is around 55% fructose. Studies show that fructose consumption can damage communication between brain cells [5]. Instead of agave syrup, I like to use allulose or small amounts of raw honey or maple syrup.
6. Farmed salmon
You’ve probably heard that salmon is a brain food but not all salmon is created equal. Compared to wild salmon, farmed salmon contains significantly higher levels of chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and dioxins. These synthetic chemicals silently weaken your brain. Dioxins are human carcinogens and studies show they can damage your brain and nervous system [6]. To minimize toxin exposure, choose wild-caught seafood. Sockeye salmon is one of the best choices. You’ll still get the beneficial doses of omega-3s without the toxic load.
7. Diet soda
Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners, specifically aspartame. Studies show that long-term aspartame consumption can cause oxidative stress in the brain, impairing memory and cognitive function [7]. Other studies show it can interrupt neurotransmitter balance, potentially contributing to neurological disorders [8]. If you’re going to drink soda, find a brand that uses natural sugar alternatives such as monk fruit or allulose. Or make your own using sparkling water, lemon juice, and allulose.
Your diet plays a powerful role in how your brain ages—and not everything you think is “healthy” is working in your favor. By cutting out these hidden offenders and choosing cleaner, brain-supportive alternatives, you can reduce inflammation, protect your cognitive function, and feel more clear-headed every day. Small changes lead to big results over time. Your brain deserves better fuel—start with what’s on your plate.
In addition to diet, other brain-supporting tools I use include: BrainTap, Timeline Mitopure supplements and of course, 40 Years of Zen.
Learn more about Neuroscience and habits that effect your brain aging:
- Lammers KM, Lu R, Brownley J, Lu B, Gerard C, Thomas K, Rallabhandi P, Shea-Donohue T, Tamiz A, Alkan S, Netzel-Arnett S, Antalis T, Vogel SN, Fasano A. Gliadin induces an increase in intestinal permeability and zonulin release by binding to the chemokine receptor CXCR3. Gastroenterology. 2008 Jul;135(1):194-204.e3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2008.03.023. Epub 2008 Mar 21. PMID: 18485912; PMCID: PMC2653457.
- Liu X, Tao R, Guo F, Zhang L, Qu J, Li M, Wu X, Wang X, Zhu Y, Wen L, Wang J. Soybean oil induces neuroinflammatory response through brain-gut axis under high-fat diet. J Tradit Complement Med. 2024 Feb 29;14(5):522-533. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.02.002. PMID: 39262663; PMCID: PMC11384091.
- Bartholomew, S.K., Winslow, W., Sharma, R. et al. Glyphosate exposure exacerbates neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology despite a 6-month recovery period in mice. J Neuroinflammation 21, 316 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-024-03290-6
- Thakur M, Rachamalla M, Niyogi S, Datusalia AK, Flora SJS. Molecular Mechanism of Arsenic-Induced Neurotoxicity including Neuronal Dysfunctions. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Sep 17;22(18):10077. doi: 10.3390/ijms221810077. PMID: 34576240; PMCID: PMC8471829.
- Jiménez-Maldonado A, Ying Z, Byun HR, Gomez-Pinilla F. Short-term fructose ingestion affects the brain independently from establishment of metabolic syndrome. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2018 Jan;1864(1):24-33. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.10.012. Epub 2017 Oct 7. PMID: 29017895; PMCID: PMC5705281.
- Marinkovi? N, Pašali? D, Feren?ak G, Grškovi? B, Stavljeni? Rukavina A. Dioxins and human toxicity. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2010 Dec;61(4):445-53. doi: 10.2478/10004-1254-61-2010-2024. PMID: 21183436.
- Ashok I, Sheeladevi R, Wankhar D. Acute effect of aspartame-induced oxidative stress in Wistar albino rat brain. J Biomed Res. 2015 Sep;29(5):390-6. doi: 10.7555/JBR.28.20120118. Epub 2014 Jan 12. PMID: 26445572; PMCID: PMC4585433.
- Lindseth GN, Coolahan SE, Petros TV, Lindseth PD. Neurobehavioral effects of aspartame consumption. Res Nurs Health. 2014 Jun;37(3):185-93. doi: 10.1002/nur.21595. Epub 2014 Apr 3. PMID: 24700203; PMCID: PMC5617129.
