Top 10 Foods That Promote Brain Growth in Children
FOOD THAT PROMOTE BRAIN GROWTH IN CHILDREN:
“TRUE BEAUTY COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT.IT EMERGES FROM PROPER THINKING, AS WELL AS NUTRITION AND EXERCISE.”
A healthy, balanced diet is not just good for kid’s bodies; it’s good for their brains, too. Growing bodies need many types of nutrients. The right foods can improve brain function, memory and concentration. Like the body the brain also absorbs nutrients from the food we eat. Although brain growth is well advanced by birth, your child’s brain continues to grow and develop long after. The brain cells need specific nutritional needs and missing out on a particular nutrient at the time when a part of the brain is growing can cause problems. Some of the brain foods aren’t kid’s favorites- yet if you are willing to be patient and offer them regularly they soon will be liking the food.
Vitamin nutrients are the intelligent nutrients that keep the brain in tune. They are key to building and rebuilding the brain. They mainly come from fruits, vegetables and whole foods and can be supplemented for optimum brain performance.
These foods can help kids stay sharp and affect how their brains develop well into the future.
- WATER: Water is an overlooked food. Children often run around in a state of relative dehydration. Dehydration, even a mild case, makes children listless, lethargic and irritable. Too little water creates false hunger in children, so they make poor food choices. Offer water at every meal, especially after an active day.
- MILK: Fat free milk is well known as a great source of protein, vitamin D and phosphorus. Milk stimulates brain growth in children. It also boosts cognitive performance- either because it improves general nutrition or because it specifically promotes brain growth. Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for variety disease- diabetes; cancer etc. vitamin D fortified milk may help children avoid developing such diseases.
- OILY FISH: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel are a great source of omega- 3 fatty acids and vitamins which protects the brain from declining mental skills and memory loss. The more omega-3s we can get to the brain, the better it will function and the better kids will be able to focus. Children who get more of theses fatty acids in their diet have sharper minds and do better at mental skills tests.
- EGGS: Eggs are well known as a great protein source- but the egg yolks are also packed with choline, which helps memory development. Choline is vital for the creation of memory stem cells, formed deep within our brains. The more cells we have, the better our memories.
- VEGGIES: Tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrot, spinach- vegetables with rich, deep color are the best sources of antioxidants that keep brain cells strong and healthy. Fruits and vegetables may play an important role in preventing the long term effects of oxidative stress on brain function. Full of folate and vitamins, 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.
- BERRIES: Strawberries and blueberries these two juicy favorites are ultra high in antioxidants. Children have showed improved memory with the extracts of blueberries and strawberries. The more intense the color, the more nutrition in the berries. Berries boost high levels of antioxidants, especially in vitamin C, which will help prevent cancer. A diet rich in such brain foods boosts the cognitive functioning of children. The seeds from berries are also a good source of omega-3 fats.
- SUGAR: Sugar is your brain’s super fuel. Too much fast sugar means a blood sugar high and hyper activity. The excess sugar in the blood gets dumped into storage as abdominal fat. Eating little and often helps keep your child’s energy and concentration even. Too much sugar may make your child hyperactive and he may find it hard to concentrate. Too little sugar may make the child tired, irritable and he may find it hard to concentrate. It’s better to know to give your child the “right types and right amount at the right time”.
- OATS: Oats provide excellent energy or fuel for the brain that kids need first thing in the morning. Loaded with fiber, oats keep a child’s brain fed all morning at school. Oats are also a good source of vitamin E, Vitamin B, potassium and zinc which make our body and brain function at full capacity. Kids who eat oats do better memory related school tasks. Oats is one of the most familiar hot cereals for kids and a very nutritious grain for the brain.
- AVOCADO: A real power- house food, full of that other essential fatty acids, omega-6, which is also key for brain development. Avocado is full of carbohydrates and fats as well as proteins needed for the crucial growth of a child. “Right fats can build a better brain”. Avocados are often called one of nature’s perfect foods because it contains everything a person need to survive. A wonderful “good fat” food for baby’s brain. Avocado makes a great first food for baby due to its texture and creaminess; an extra bonus is that avocado is full or good fats and has a high nutrient content.
- PEANUTS: Peanuts are a great snack food being rich in protein, niacin, monounsaturated fats and folate. Their high vitamin E content protects brain cell membranes. Peanut and peanut butter are a good source of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that protects nervous membranes-plus thiamine to help the brain and nervous system use glucose for energy.
A child’s nourishment during the first years of life can affect the ability to learn, communicate, socialize and adapt to new environments and people. Making sure that your child gets those particular nutrients needed during the first years of life will help to ensure the brain growths and develop optimally. You will have to pay attention to make sure your child gets a good source of the brain nutrients.
“BE SMART EAT SMART”
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