Pregnant women who get sufficient levels of the nutrient choline in their diet may have offspring with a higher IQ as a baby, better verbal skills as a child and better memory in old age, speculates Steven Zeisel of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In animal tests, he found that choline has an amazing, lifelong effect on brain structure and function. Choline stimulates fetal brains to make more stem cells, producing superior wiring in the brain.

One way to get choline is by eating two or three eggs a day. Other good sources: wheat germ, soybeans, peanut butter, chocolate and beef liver.