When it comes to foods that better your brain, you have options—lot’s of ‘em. This is of course a good thing (hand us all the brain-healthy recipes, please!), but when it comes to the best of the best, is there a hierarchy of sorts? If experts had to choose, which brain-supporting food would they put on their plate? 

It’s a question we sent over to neurologists Dean Sherzai, M.D., and Ayesha Sherzai, M.D., on the mindbodygreen podcast. Their answer? Well, here’s a hint: “They’re absolutely delicious, and they look like the brain,” says Ayesha. 

According to the Sherzais, walnuts reign supreme. 

Nearly six million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States alone, and that number is increasing. And that’s not even the worst of it. In the general population, brain function is going downhill even without that debilitating disease.

Concentration, memory, focus, creativity, and productivity—all these are suffering as our brains struggle to keep up with the demands we place on them. There are also related issues, such as the rise in other dementias and stroke, as well as depression and anxiety—something a whopping 17.3 million people in the United States struggle with.

We know this is a lot to process. But there’s good news. 

The brain is incredibly resilient. Your brain has approximately 87 billion neurons and as many as one quadrillion neural connections, all interacting every moment of every day. Your cells rejuvenate, resist damage, and support growth at any age. Your neurons can make as few as two connections, or as many as 30,000.

You have the ability to improve your brain function, to increase your neural connectivity to protect yourself against most degenerative, vascular, and inflammatory diseases of the brain. Better yet, you can profoundly improve your brain function starting right now.