Harvard nutritionist and psychiatrist: I've studied brain foods for 20+ years—here are 5 of my favorite breakfasts
Breakfast provides the brain with its first source of energy every morning. Fueling the brain is key for focus, clarity, and optimal functioning throughout the day. Even if you happen to follow intermittent fasting, it's important to pick something nourishing at the start of your eating window.

Today, most people in the U.S. associate breakfast with colorful cereals, overloaded bagels and breakfast sandwiches, baked goods that border on dessert, and coffee drinks that are barely distinguishable from milkshakes.

These popular items are frequently loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates that cause an initial spike in blood sugar followed by a crash. They also contribute to the neuroinflammation (inflammation around the brain) that's associated with brain fog and poor concentration.

Fortunately, as the Director of Nutritional, Lifestyle and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, my research and clinical work has helped me learn that there are plenty of other options for your morning routine that can help enhance your mental fitness.

And as a chef, I know those healthier choices can be delicious and easy to prepare.

I always suggest a glass of water when you wake up to combat dehydration and anxiety. After that, here are five of my favorite breakfast brain foods. They're rich in key nutrients and functional compounds that promote better energy, clarity, and mental health.