Help

The Upgrade Your Brain CookApp is designed to help you make food choices that support optimal brain health - improving mood, memory, and mental energy. Each recipe is scored based on four critical nutritional qualities, guiding you toward meals that enhance cognitive function, stabilize energy, and support a healthy body weight.

Whether you’re completely new to “brain-friendly” eating or looking to refine your meal planning, this guide will explain how the app’s scoring system works and show you how to select and adapt recipes based on your personal preferences and dietary needs.

By understanding how each recipe supports your cognitive health and energy levels, you can make informed choices that not only taste great but also help you feel your best – both mentally and physically. Use the app’s daily and weekly trackers, suggestions, and filters to shape a meal plan aligned with your health goals, and enjoy the journey toward improved.

Listen to: CookApp User Guide

The app’s scoring system is built around four key nutritional factors, each linked to better brain health:

1. Brain Fats:

Healthy fats—especially omega-3 fatty acids—are crucial for cognitive function. They help maintain cell membrane integrity in the brain and support neurotransmitters.

• Weekly Goal: About four portions of oily fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring—“SMASH”) per week fills your Brain Fats bar. Spread these meals throughout the week; you don’t need them daily.

2. Slow-Releasing Carbohydrates (Low-GL Foods):

Low Glycemic Load (GL) carbohydrates release energy slowly, stabilizing blood sugar and maintaining steady focus.

• Daily Guidance: Choose recipes to support stable energy and mood, and if aiming for weight loss, try to keep your total GL under 45 per day.

3. Antioxidants:

Antioxidants help neutralize oxidative stress, a contributor to brain aging. Meals rich in colourful fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices will score higher for antioxidants.

• Daily Goal: Fill your antioxidant bar each day.

4. B Vitamins:

B vitamins (including B12 and folate) support energy metabolism, nerve function, and long-term cognitive health.

• Daily Goal: Fill your B vitamins bar daily for optimal benefits.

Your overall goal is to meet these targets as guided by the app to achieve a “perfect day” or week of balanced meals.

Each recipe in the app is assigned a score reflecting how well it fulfils these four criteria. The app will:

• Highlight Key Nutrients: You’ll see which nutrients a recipe is rich in, and where it may fall short.
• Track Your Progress: As you plan meals, nutrient “bars” indicate your progress.
  • Brain Fats: Aim to fill this bar once a week.
  • Antioxidants & B Vitamins: Aim to fill these bars every day.
  • GL (Slow-Releasing Carbs): For weight loss, stay below 45 GL daily; for maintenance, you have more flexibility, aiming instead for 60 GL.
• Checkmarks (✓) and Plus Signs (+): A checkmark means you’ve met your daily or weekly goal. A plus sign next to Brain Fats indicates you’ve

1. Start with a Meal Category:

Browse breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or desserts. The app has recipes for every meal and dietary preference.

2. Check the Scoring Icons:

Each recipe shows icons or bars representing its content of Brain Fats, Antioxidants, B Vitamins, and GL. Use these to quickly see how a recipe fits into your daily or weekly plan.

3. Meet Your Daily and Weekly Requirements:

• Daily: Choose recipes that collectively provide enough antioxidants and B vitamins.
• Weekly: Include about four portions of oily fish or other sources of omega-3-rich fats to fill your Brain Fats bar over the course of the week.

4. Watch Your Bars Fill Up:

• Green Bar (B Vitamins): A checkmark means you’ve met your daily B vitamin needs.
• Yellow Bar (Antioxidants): A checkmark means you’ve reached your daily antioxidant target.
• Blue Bar (Brain Fats): A checkmark or plus sign indicates you’ve met or exceeded your weekly goal.
• Red Bar (GL Score): The marker shows if you’re staying under the 45 GL threshold for weight loss.

PLEASE NOTE: Your GL upper limit will be displayed in your bar depending on whether you selected weight loss or weight maintenance. In the 2 examples below you can see this – the bar extends beyond the GL chosen by you because this will let you see if/when you exceed this with your choices.

PLEASE NOTE: Your GL upper limit will be displayed in your bar depending on whether you selected weight loss or weight maintenance. In the 2 examples below you can see this – the bar extends beyond the GL chosen by you because this will let you see if/when you exceed this with your choices.

Below is an example of a day that filled all the bars that you’re aiming for and a total GL that is under the chosen 45 GLs.

Checkmarks (✓) and Plus Signs (+):

A checkmark means you’ve met your daily or weekly goal. A plus sign next to Brain Fats indicates you’ve exceeded the weekly requirement, giving you “credit” for upcoming days.

• Brain Fats: Fill this bar gradually over several days through the week. Aim to fill your Brain Fats bar once a week. By choosing a fish-based dish early on (like the Omega-3 Salmon Chowder), you cover yourself for several days. Unlike some of the other bars that you’ll want to fill daily, you have flexibility here. You can fill the Brain Fats bar gradually over three or four days by including a few omega-3-rich meals throughout the week. For example, enjoy a salmon-based dish on Monday, add sardines or anchovies on Wednesday, and by Thursday you’ll have filled your Brain Fats bar, covering you for the rest of the week (you’re aiming to have 3-4 portions of fish per week).
• B Vitamins & Antioxidants: Strive to fill these bars daily by incorporating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
• GL Score: Manage your intake based on personal goals. For weight loss, aim under 45 GL
  daily. For maintenance, you can go slightly higher while still prioritizing stable
  energy.

If a meal is low in a particular nutrient, the app will prompt you to make adjustments:

• Add Another Recipe: If your B Vitamins bar isn’t filled, add a B12-rich snack or a leafy green side dish.
• Swap Ingredients: Consider ingredient swaps that boost your target nutrient.
• Learn Over Time: As you become familiar with nutrient sources, planning balanced days and weeks becomes easier and more intuitive.

Dietary Restrictions & Preferences: Filter recipes to meet your needs—dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, pescatarian, or any other pattern. The scoring system still applies, ensuring you always find suitable, brain-healthy options.

Transforming Classics: Learn to upgrade traditional dishes, like turning a burger and fries into Spicy Salmon Burgers with Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries, for a delicious and brain-friendly alternative.