It’s holiday time and everyone — parents
and kids alike — is in a relaxed mood. What with the fact that, for
now, everyone can have an extended period of sleep, while not leaving
out all the fun that you can catch as you continue in the much-awaited
long vacation.
Educationists however warn that the
holiday period should not be allowed to pass idly by without doing
something tangible to help the kids improve on their intellect.
Nutritionists say one of the ways
parents could boost their children’s brain and, by implication, their
intellectual development, is by giving them foods that nurture this
all-important organ.
Scientists describe the brain as “the
boss of the body.” They note that the brain runs the show and controls
just about everything we do.
“The brain enables you to think, learn, create, and feel emotions; to controlling every blink, breath, and heartbeat,” they say.
For kids who are still growing,
researchers note that the brains are as active, growing and changing,
just as the young ones’ bodies.
Research suggests that food is one of
the many factors that affect a child’s brain development, and that when a
child eats good and nourishing foods, they help him to stay sharp all
day long, and positively affect brain development well into the future.
Indeed, a study published in the journal, Social Science & Medicine,
suggests that childhood malnutrition impairs brain function in old age,
and that it also has negative impact on children’s mental development.
The study authors conclude that the growing brain could be nourished and
made intellectually sound with good diet.
This being the case, what foods should you give your growing child to boost his brain health? Here we go.
Eggs: Family doctor, Grace
Oluwaseun, notes that eggs are exceptionally good for building healthy
brains and memory. She says, “Not only do eggs contain abundant folate,
choline and vitamin B12, the yolks are an important source of omega-3
fatty acids, which play a vital role in building the brain.”
She enthuses that the folate in eggs fights cognitive decline and memory loss as the child continues to grow.
A nutritionist, Dr. Remi Omotunde, adds
that when a pregnant woman regularly eats boiled eggs, she is really
preparing her unborn child for a healthy life. He notes, “The vitamin
B12 content of eggs produces certain nutritional benefits that prevent
neural tube defects, among other benefits.”
Physicians say neural tube defects are
birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord, which happen in the
first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is
expecting a baby.
Yoghurt: We all love yoghurt; and
when you consider its brain-nourishing property, you now have more
reasons to pamper your child with it.
Researchers at the University of
California, Los Angeles, conclude that the probiotics, or “good”
bacteria, found in yogurt might be good for the brain. They are of the
view that full-fat yoghurt can help keep brain cell membranes flexible,
helping them to send and receive information.
Beef: A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
reveals that healthy iron levels aid performance of mental tasks. “Iron
helps transport oxygen throughout the body and to the brain,” the
researchers say; admonishing children to consume controlled quantity of
lean beef.
Fish: Omotunde says the omega-3
fatty acid in a fish like sardine helps in maintaining mental focus
among kids. He says, “Naturally fatty fish are a good source of vitamin D
and omega-3, which protect the brain against cognitive decline and
memory loss.”
Other omega-3-rich fish include salmon and tuna, he informs.
Walnuts: Mercifully, this nut is
currently in season, though kids may not like its bitter after-taste.
For children who do not mind the taste, scientists at Tufts University
in Boston, USA, reveal that eating walnuts may improve mental
performance, just because of the peculiar antioxidants and omega-3 fatty
acids it contains, which, nutritionists say, boost brain power.
Omotunde adds that the alpha linolenic
acid in walnuts promotes blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient
delivery of oxygen to the brain.
Olive oil: Instead of cooking
your child’s food with unhealthy oils that coagulate at room
temperature, experts recommend the use of olive oil which, they say, is a
great source of monounsaturated fats that have been shown to slow brain
ageing.
Fruits and vegetables: Physicians
counsel that eating green and leafy vegetables creates a powerhouse for
brain health. Oluwaseun notes that eating fruits and vegetables helps
your body to fight diseases that otherwise would make life tough for
your brain.
Dark chocolates: Unlike where you
have to coax your child to eat vegetables, children need no persuasion
to eat chocolates! Well, unbeknown to them, experts say the caffeine
content of antioxidant-rich dark chocolates is healthy for maintaining
mental perception.
Omotunde says, moreover, that chocolate
is rich in flavonoids — an antioxidant that helps to improve blood flow
and, by implication, brain health.
Water: After all said and
done, the need to take clean water at regular intervals throughout the
day cannot be overemphasised. Physicians say this is necessary for brain
health because when a person becomes dehydrated, his brain tissue
actually shrinks.
Indeed, a study published in Psychology Today reveals that dehydration can affect cognitive function and also impair short-term memory, focus and decision-making.
In conclusion, Omotunde says it’s not
children alone that need to eat to boost brain power. “Adults also need
to eat these foods in abundance if they want to increase the odds of
maintaining a healthy brain for the rest of their lives,” he counsels.
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