Brain-boosting foods to add to your child's diet

Are you looking for foods that help brain development in kids? Brain development is extremely important at any age, and there are foods which can help with this. In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the foods that will be helpful to you and your kids.

How important is brain development for kids

It’s essential to understand the importance of brain development for kids.

The brain is the most crucial part of your body, and it’s also the most delicate. It’s your command centre, where all your thoughts are processed, and decisions are made, so you want to ensure that it’s being cared for properly from the time you’re born until the day you die.

Suppose you’re a parent or caregiver who wants to give your children every opportunity for success. In that case, you must understand what factors impact brain development in children so that you can give them all the support they need.

How important is brain development for kids

It’s essential to understand the importance of brain development for kids.

The brain is the most crucial part of your body, and it’s also the most delicate. It’s your command centre, where all your thoughts are processed, and decisions are made, so you want to ensure that it’s being cared for properly from the time you’re born until the day you die.

Suppose you’re a parent or caregiver who wants to give your children every opportunity for success. In that case, you must understand what factors impact brain development in children so that you can give them all the support they need.

What age does a child’s brain develop the most

By age 2, your child’s brain is about 90 per cent of its adult size. But that doesn’t mean it’s ready for prime time. There are still some major developmental milestones to be reached in those early years! Here are some important milestones to keep an eye out in brain development for kids:

When your child reaches six and 12 months old, they’ll start forming long-term memories. This means they’ll start remembering what happens to them over time — like where they put their favourite toy last week or which uncle gave them candy at their birthday party last year. Some babies start forming short-term memories at around four months old.

At around eight months old, your baby might begin pointing out objects that interest them—a dog outside is common — and this means they’re beginning to understand other people’s intentions toward them (like if you point out something interesting across the room).

Around 18 months old, your child should be able to say several words with the meaning behind them, like “mum”, “dad”, or even “doggie.” They might also understand simple commands like “come here” or “stop doing that.”

ALSO READ: Think you have mummy brain? Here are 10 foods that can improve your memory

How can I help my child’s brain development

Brain development is a fantastic process that happens throughout your life. It doesn’t just happen in the womb, either — it continues as you grow older and learn new things daily.

One way to influence brain development for kids is through play. Play helps children develop their motor skills, social skills, and imagination — and it also helps them focus their attention on one thing at a time.

Here are some ideas that can help your child develop their brain:

1. Encourage brain development by setting up an environment that fosters it
2. Give your child plenty of opportunities to explore, play, and learn about the world around them
3. Provide plenty of physical activity for your child — they’ll need this to grow healthy brains!
4. Make sure their meals are balanced and nutritious.

What is brain food

Brain food is any type of food that has a positive impact on your overall mental health and ability to focus. Brain food is often high in protein, which helps keep you full longer. It can also contain vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients for a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

What food is good for brain

The brain is an incredibly complex organ that needs a lot of nutrients to stay healthy.

Here are some foods that can help the brain stay healthy:

• Avocados

Avocados are high in vitamins B6 and B5, which help keep your brain sharp. They also contain folate, which is essential for brain development in children.

• Blueberries

Blueberries are high in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which protect against oxidative stress and damage caused by free radicals. They also contain vitamin C to help boost memory and support cognitive function.

• Broccoli

Broccoli contains vitamin K1, which helps prevent age-related cognitive decline by improving blood flow to the brain. It also contains vitamin E, which helps protect against cognitive decline caused by ageing or injury.

• Salmon

Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. They also play an essential role in normal brain function by improving communication between neurons and helping them maintain their structure.

• Citrus fruits

Oranges, lemons and grapefruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps improve concentration and reduce stress levels by boosting moods. 

• Nuts

The nuts are another excellent source of vitamin E, which helps to protect nerve endings from oxidation damage associated with ageing processes such as Alzheimer’s disease. These also contain omega-3 fats, which help to maintain cognitive function throughout life stages such as adolescence when kids’ brains need proper nutrition more than ever before!

• Eggs 

These are one of the best protein sources – an essential nutrient for childhood growth.

• Almonds

They have magnesium which helps with memory retention and learning new things.

• Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains flavanols which protect against cognitive decline by helping blood flow to the brain.

Brain development food for babies

Your baby’s early years, the age of zero to three years, are crucial for building the brain. Whatever your little one sees, touches, tastes, smells or hears facilitates in shaping the brain for thinking, feeling, moving and learning. While it continues even after your little one is all big and grown up, brain development for kids actually begins when they are in the womb.

Food for development of brain in pregnancy

When you are carrying your little one inside, a lot is going on inside that tiny body. The foetal brain goes through various developmental stages.

So, a healthy, balanced diet that fulfils your nutritional needs and your baby’s is essential during pregnancy. You should include enough healthy fat in your diet as it is required for your baby’s faster development and healthier nerve connections.

Brain food for infants and young children below 5 years

Your baby’s brain starts developing at an unparalleled rate as your little one makes around 100,000 neural connections daily. During this period, breastfeeding your little one is extremely important as breast milk is essential for your baby’s overall growth.

So, you can consume foods that boost lactation, such as oats, garlic, moringa, green leafy vegetables, fenugreek seeds, etc. Drinking plenty of water is also suitable for lactating mums. Consuming supplements or tonics like chicken essence can also help increase milk production in nursing mothers.

List of food that is good for brain development in babies:

1. Salmon

Fatty fish like salmon are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA that are crucial for your child’s brain development. Once your child has achieved the milestone of eating finger foods, you can get creative with salmon preparations like a salmon patty, salad, or even soup.

2. Whole grains

The brain needs a constant supply of glucose, and that’s precisely what whole grains do for your child. You can use a variety of whole grains in your child’s food. Try making tasty whole-grain porridge or whole-grain flour pancakes for your little one.

3. Yogurt

Protein and carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy for your child’s brain. Yoghurt is high on both, making it a great food to boost your little one’s brain development.

Introducing your tot to supplements or tonics like chicken essence can also help support healthy brain development for kids.

Consult your paediatrician if your child has any special needs.

Brain development food for kids between the age of five to 10 years

Although your little one’s learning slows down after age five, it is still 10 times that of an adult.  Your child is making around 10,000 to 50,000 neural connections daily.

Support your growing child’s brain development by offering these foods:

1. Eggs

Rich in protein content, eggs can be served in various ways such as boiled and scrambled, adding them to sandwiches or salads, and so on. You can add them to meals by making an egg, rice or curry.

2. Nuts and seeds

Most parents avoid exposing their younger kids to nuts and seeds because of allergy risks. But you can include these in the diet of older kids. Nuts and seeds are loaded with brain-boosting nutrients like protein, fatty acids, and vitamins, to name a few.

3. Fruits

As your child develops eating skills, you can regularly feed them smaller fruits like berries. Fruits like apples and plums have antioxidants that promote mental alertness.

Keep in mind that at this age, you should avoid sugary foods with added colouring or chemicals. You can add tonics like chicken essence to their diet to fulfil any nutritional insufficiency.

Brain development food for kids above 10 years of age

Kids’ brain development continues through the teenage years right up to the age of 25. This is a period when external factors shape your child’s personality. At this age, you can almost feed everything to your child that can help them with concentration and alertness.

Some foods that boost these include fish, nuts, avocados, whole grains, and berries. Mental fatigue, tiredness, and lack of alertness can affect your child’s overall performance. Your child has a high need for foods that increase brain power.

So, make sure that your little one gets ample brain food. As and when required, don’t hesitate to couple it with tonics and supplements like chicken essence that can be perfect to boost your child’s brain development across different stages in life.

This article was first published in theAsianparent.