Mint

Katz loves mint because its a good source of vitamin A, which can help boost learning skills and increase brain plasticity, vitamin C, which is said to protect against cognitive decline, and for other, unexpected reasons. There are fascinating studies out there about how the scent of mint affects brain functioning, Katz says. In one study, the aroma of mint helped boost alertness and memory. In another, it helped test subjects perform better on basic clerical skills, such as typing and memorization. Just the scent of mint has been shown to increase alertness. Maybe start by taking a big whiff of your toothpaste in the morning?