Best Brain Foods for Kids: Healthy Brain Foods for Children

Best Brain Foods for Kids: Healthy Brain Foods for Children
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Nutrition plays an important role in keeping your child healthy and fit. A healthy body and sharp brain helps your child succeed in studies, sports and various extra-curricular activities. A balanced diet certainly has a positive effect on your kid’s academic performance. A diet consisting of the best brain foods not only boost their IQ, but also improve their memory and mood, making them mentally prepared for any tests, exams or quiz competitions.

Several studies have revealed that certain brain foods for children play a pivotal role in enhancing their brain function. With a balance diet consisting of best brain foods, kids will have an improved intelligence, memory, concentration, balance and co-ordination. You can read “Introducing Kids to Healthy Foods to Eat” to know more about healthy foods and their role in improving your child’s health.

Importance of Brain Foods for Children

Your kid’s brain depends on the food that is fed during his/her growing years. Docosahexaenoic acid, a member of the Omega-3 fatty acids, plays a significant role in maintaining brain functions. According to Dr. Alan Greene, author of Raising Baby Green, low levels of docosahexaenoic acid can lead to low intelligence and vision. Foods such as Salmon and Tuna fish are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and so these can play an important part in your child’s brain functioning.

Foods for Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal to kickstart your child’s activity-filled day. Foods such as oatmeal, scrambled eggs, strawberries and blueberries can be considered excellent brain foods for children. Here are some key benefits about different foods for children:

Oatmeal: A high-fiber food with loads of protein. According to a study conducted by the Tufts University, kids who eat oatmeal daily for breakfast have improved memory, which helps them to perform better in studies and IQ competitions. Eating oatmeal daily enhances cognitive performance since it helps release glucose into the blood system.

Strawberries and Blueberries: They are fruits packed with antioxidants and are considered effective brain boosters.

Eggs: An egg contains a very important nutrient called choline, which helps in the creation of memory stem cells in the brain. This results in improved memory. Eggs are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. When preparing eggs for your kids, make sure you have tasty recipe ideas. Add lip-smacking ingredients like cheese and salsa to their foods or make some scrambled eggs for your kids.

Brain Foods for Kids at Lunchtime

Eating a balanced diet during lunch-time keeps your child’s blood sugar level stable and make him/her energetic. Fun sandwiches made from whole wheat bread can be one of the best brain foods for your child. Whole wheat breads are rich in fiber, which makes it an ideal candidate to improve your child’s IQ levels.

Turkey wrapped up with whole grain tortillas makes an excellent nutritious lunch. Turkey is rich in amino acid tyrosine, which helps in production of neuro-transmitters. These neuro-transmitters help kids remain alert and energetic.

Salmon salad can also be a nice addition to your kid’s lunch. Being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, salmons are good for his/her brain.

Evening Snack

Nuts or Flaxseeds: Almonds, cashew nuts and flax seeds are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can boost your kid’s memory and intelligence.

Dry Fruits: Dry fruits such as raisins and dates are rich in iron and other minerals, which increases mental alertness and raises the energy levels. (For a full nutritional info about these dry fruits, please see health benefits of raisins and health benefits of dates).

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