Coffee

If coffee is the highlight of your morning, you'll be relieved to know that it's healthy. Caffeine and antioxidants, two major components of coffee, can both benefit brain health. The caffeine found in coffee has a number of positive effects on the brain, including:

• Caffeine keeps your brain active by inhibiting adenosine, a chemical messenger that causes you to feel tired.
  
• Improved mood: Caffeine may also increase dopamine and other "feel-good" neurotransmitters.
  
• Caffeine consumption contributed to short-term gains in attention and alertness in individuals taking a cognition test, according to one study.

Long-term coffee use has also been associated with a lower risk of neurological illnesses such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Adults who drank 3-4 cups of coffee every day had the greatest risk decrease. This might be attributable, at least in part, to coffee's high antioxidant content.