I was breast-fed until six months old. My best friend at school, Jane, was bottle fed. Jane was brighter than me - she was better at everything from maths and music to French and chemistry.

In spite of recent research, which suggests that breast-fed babies have a higher IQ than those who are given formula feeds, my advice is that if were you given the latter, don't panic.

It clearly does not condemn you to a life in the intellectual slow lane as Jane and many others have proved; and, fortunately, there are things you can do in adulthood that can help to boost your brain power, some of which includes being picky about what and when you eat.

The No 1 rule is to eat regularly, especially starting the day with breakfast. Although our brains account for only 2 per cent of our body weight, this organ uses up around 20 to 30 per cent of our total energy needs.

Yet the amount of glucose (the energy that fuels the body) our brains can store is tiny and without constant replacement would be exhausted within ten minutes.

However, this idea is now being challenged with findings that improving blood-glucose control (by eating the right kind of breakfast, for example) raises blood glucose to an optimal point that improves our brains' performance, boosting mem-ory and learning powers.

Research has shown that adults who eat breakfast have better “free-recall” abilities (tested by showing people a list of 20 words at a rate of one every two seconds with two minutes at the end to recall the words) in the day ahead than when they skip breakfast. Breakfast eaters not only scored better in this kind of test, but also had better “delayedrecognition memory”.

The types of foods eaten at breakfast and during the rest of the day do seem to count when it comes to making the most of brain power. One of the keys is to stay off the fast-release carbohydrates, such as croissants, cereal bars and white toast with marmalade.

Because they are digested rapidly they give your blood glucose an exaggerated spike that is swiftly followed by a low that makes you feel mentally sluggish. Not only does your brain slow down from the glucose low, but you also feel stressed and distracted while seeking more fast-release carbohydrates.

Breakfasts that include slowrelease glucose, such as sugar-free muesli with berries, porridge or sour-dough toast with peanut butter, are brain-enhancing options. So too are eggs. They give us choline and lecithin, which are key components of acetylcholine, the transmitter that plays such a big role in memory.

No one has quite worked out why, but eating protein does seem to make us feel more mentally alert. Tucking in to a good-sized serving of lean chicken, turkey, beef or fish such as tuna or salmon at lunchtime with salad or vegetables could be a good move, especially if you have a big meeting or need to concentrate on an important issue.

Anything that improves circulation, and thus blood, oxygen and nutrients to your brain, is also likely to help boost brain power. Omega-3 essential fats appear to play this role. Having one or two servings of oily fish such as mackerel, grilled sardines, anchovies or salmon a week should do the trick.

HOW TO STAY ALERT

Ginkgo biloba: May help to improve blood flow and combat age-related memory loss
Gotu kola: Extracts of this root (triterpenes) appear to enhance healthy blood-vessel structure and help to improve memory. Coffee and tea: A quick hit of caffeine can rev up your concentration.
Water: Hydration is crucial to keep your brain working efficiently. Keep water or caffeine-free drinks to hand such as roibosh or herbal teas. Top up fluids regularly.

Explore Food & Drink

• Gordon Ramsay

• Heston Blumenthal

• Recipes

• Wine

• Real Food

• Anjum Anand

• Eating Out

• Video Recipes

Times Recommends

• How to season a wok
• Chicago Rib Shack hits back at its critics
• Gordon Ramsay: Indian barbecue