This week, You! shares some of the most important nutrients for cognitive health and performance of children. Read on to find out...
health
This week, You! shares some of the most important nutrients for cognitive health and performance of children. Read on to find out...
Your child’s report card does not only depend on study skills, classroom participation and math tutors. It also depends on breakfast, lunch and dinner ... and the right snacks never hurt. After all, when children reach school age, the impact of nutrition on cognitive performance becomes as clear as ever. After all, the nutrients your child eats play a huge role in establishing the brain’s neural connections, cell signalling and structure - potentially resulting in everything from easier learning to improved test scores. You must be wondering what nutrients you need to include in your kid’s lunchbox. Here, You! digs into some of the most important nutrients for kids’ cognitive health and performance - as well as the best ways to get your kids to actually eat (and even like) healthy foods. Read on...
Fish: Fish is a good source of vitamin D and omega-3s, which protects the brain from declining mental skills and memory loss. Salmon, tuna and sardines are all rich in omega-3s. Fatty fish like salmon are an excellent source of the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, both essential for brain growth and function. In fact, recent research has shown that kids who get more of these fatty acids in their diet have sharper minds and do better at mental skills test. The more omega-3s we can get to the brain, the better it will function and the better kids will be able to focus.
Info: While tuna is also a source of omega-3s, it’s not a rich source like salmon. Tuna is definitely a good source of lean protein, but because it is so lean it’s not very high in omega-3s.
Lean beef (or Meat Alternative): Iron is an essential mineral that helps children concentrate better at school and keeping them energized. Lean beef is one of the best absorbed sources of iron. In fact, just an ounce per day helps the body absorb iron from other sources. Beef also contains zinc which helps with memory.
Tips: For vegetarians, black beans are great iron-rich meatless options. Beans are an important source of nonheme iron - a type of iron that needs vitamin C to be absorbed. Incorporate tomatoes, red bell pepper, orange juice, strawberries and other ‘Cs’ with beans to get the most iron. Also best source of iron is spinach, which is packed with nonheme iron.
Eggs: Eggs are well-known as a great protein source - but the egg yolks are also packed with choline, which helps memory development.
Tips & tricks: Send your child off to school with a grab-and-go egg sandwiches. Try breakfast for dinner one night a week - scrambled eggs and toast. Make your own egg muffins at home: just put a fried egg on top of a toasted muffin, topped with a slice of low-fat cheese.
Whole grains: The brain needs a constant supply of glucose - and whole grains provide that in spades. The fibre helps regulate the release of glucose into the body. Whole grains also have B-vitamins, which nourish a healthy nervous system.
Oats/Oatmeal: Oats are one of the most familiar hot cereals for kids and a very nutritious grain for the brain. Oats provide excellent energy or fuel for the brain that kids need first thing in the morning. Loaded with fibre, oats keep a child’s brain fed all morning at school. They also are good sources of vitamin E, B-vitamins, potassium and zinc - which make our bodies and brains function at full capacity.
Milk & yoghurt: Dairy foods are packed with protein and B-vitamins - essential for the growth of brain tissue, neurotransmitters and enzymes. Milk and yoghurt also provide a bigger punch with both protein and carbohydrates - the preferred source of energy for the brain.
Colourful veggies: Tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach - vegetables with rich, deep colour are the best sources of antioxidants that keep brain cells strong and healthy.
Greens: Full of folate and vitamins, spinach and kale are linked to lower odds of getting dementia later in life. Kale is a super food, packed with antioxidants and other things that help new brain cells grow.
Nuts and seeds: Full of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, nuts and seeds may boost mood and keep your kid’s nervous system in check.
Apples and plums: Kids often crave sweets, especially when they’re feeling sluggish. Apples and plums are lunchbox-friendly and contain quercetin, an antioxidant that is good for mental health.
Berries: Studies have shown that in order to improve memory; consume extracts of blueberries and strawberries. But eat the real thing to get a more nutrition. The seeds from berries are also a good source of omega-3 fats. Apart from strawberries and blueberries, cherries and blackberries are rich in omega-3 fat.
Info: Berries boast high levels of antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which may help prevent cancer.
