The role of nutrition in space exploration: Implications for sensorimotor, cognition, behavior and the cerebral changes due to the exposure to radiation, altered gravity, and isolation/confinement hazards of spaceflight

•Spaceflight hazards include radiation, isolation, confinement, and altered gravity, which can have detrimental effects on behavior and cognition.•Food and nutrition interact with hazards of spaceflight, and can serve as countermeasures to mitigate negative effects.•Antioxidants and phytochemicals in food can affect neuroinflammation, behavior, and cognition.•After determining foods, nutrients, and amounts to optimize their protective effects, other constraints (e.g., stability, acceptability, safety) will need to be addressed before these can be used on exploration-class missions.