Your kid’s diet definitely has a big impact on their brain health and memory. Almost everything your children consume will directly or indirectly affect the brain. Inflammatory diet patterns that are high in sugar, refined carbs, unhealthy fats and processed foods can contribute to impaired memory and learning.
While healthy and clean food (brain-friendly foods) that’s full of nutrients has a big rule of increasing their kid’s intelligence and strengthening their memories.
So, if you want your kids to pass the exams with high marks, it’s better to include this brain-friendly food in their diet.
These 25 foods can help kids stay sharp and affect how their brains develop well into the future. You can introduce almost all these foods when your baby finishes his first year.
1- Oily Fish/ salmon
More than half of your kid’s brain is made up of fatty acids. The best fatty acids to the brain are called (DHA) and (EPA). The human body builds these substances from omega-3 fatty acids. The best way to give the brain plenty of DHA and EPA is to eat the fatty fish and the best type of them is salmon.
2- Water
For everyone, particularly those who have had a brain injury, drinking enough water is key to supporting your body. Since your kid’s brain is mostly water, drinking it helps them in a number of ways like improving concentration and cognition. It also helps to balance your kid’s mood and emotions and increases blood flow and oxygen to his brain and maintains memory function.
While when your kids are slightly dehydrated, they will face fatigue, a decrease in mental energy and impairs memory.
3- Olive oil
Extra-virgin olive oil makes your kid’s brain works better as it boosts memory and learning ability. That’s because olive oil is packed with important nutrients and antioxidants. The phenolic components of extra virgin olive oil help clear the compounds that cause degeneration.
So, adding extra virgin olive oil to your kid’s diet will help them have a strong memory now and in the future.
You can add olive oil to your kids favourite salad, favourite soup or simply make a scrambled egg with olive oil in the breakfast.
4- Turmeric
The most important compound in turmeric is anti-inflammatory antioxidant curcumin. This compound is linked with boosting memory and stimulating the growth of new brain cells.
Turmeric is completely safe for children, the perfect dosage should be 1/3 teaspoon of ground turmeric. You can add it to your kid’s soup.
5- Blackberries
Increased dietary intake of blackberries has a positive impact on human health and the brain. A study published in 2012 by (journal agricultural and food chemistry) found that blackberries benefit the brain in a few different ways. It’s rich in antioxidants that fight free radical damage in the brain. Blackberries also affect cell signalling between neurons involved in both thinking and motor control.
You can buy the frozen organic blackberries and add it to breakfast oatmeal dish of your kid, or you can make it a delicious smoothie.
6- Blueberries
It’s a healthy yummy snack for your kids and the favourite snack for my toddler. They are rich in antioxidants, so if you want to boost your kid’s intelligence you should consider blueberries as number 1 of the fruits to include in their diet.
It’s preferable to buy the organic blueberries, but if it isn’t available or very expensive you can buy the regular kind and rinse them thoroughly under cold water. Or you can buy the organic frozen blueberries as they have as many benefits as the fresh and they are less expensive.
You can give your kid fresh blueberries as a snack, or a part of fruit salad, or you can make a delicious smoothie with frozen blueberries.
7- Apples
It’s important to add apples to your kid’s diet to maintain a healthy brain throughout life and to prevent brain-related diseases later. According to animal studies, Apple juice may help prevent the decline of neurotransmitters that are involved in memory.
You can steam cook the apples with its peel and then make it a puree and feed it to your baby from his sixth month. When your baby finishes his first year, it’s possible to introduce apple to your kid as a finger snack after cutting it to small pieces and removing the peel to reduce the risk of choking.
Apple juices also have many health benefits to kids brain in case your kid prefer it on the whole apples.
8- Bananas
Bananas may be major brain food. They offer a significant dose of vitamins B6 and C, both of which may promote better brain health. They are also a great source of potassium, manganese and fibre.
Studies have shown that eating bananas help students learn more efficiently and improve exam scores.
Bananas are one of the most convenient snack foods around. It makes a great addition to yogurt, cereal and smoothies. And you can use them instead of sugar in your baking and cooking.
9- Pomegranates juice
Pomegranate is full of antioxidants which is responsible for maintaining the oxygen balance in your kid’s brain and maintaining healthy brain functions. It also protects the brain from the damage of free radicals. So, drinking pomegranate juice daily can improve learning and memory.
But, if you want to eat a pomegranate or make it a juice, don’t throw its peels in the trash, here’s a 16 health benefit of pomegranate peels.
10- Avocados
Avocados are the best friend to the brain. They are one of the healthiest fruits you and your kids can consume. Avocadoes have high healthy fat content. This type of fats keeps your kids blood sugar levels in control. It also contains folate and vitamin k, which is a vitamin for memory and focus. It also helps in improving the cognitive function of the brain by boosting concentration and memory.
They are also rich in vitamin C and vitamin B which make avocados best foods that help memory.
You can mash the avocados, add to it a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of peanut butter, mix it well and serve it on a whole grain toast to make a super brain boost snack to your kids. Also, you can add avocado to smoothies to increase the creamy texture.
11- Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate improves blood flow to the brain so it boosts the memory, attention span, reaction time and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. Dark chocolate contains a higher level of antioxidants that can protect your kid’s brain cells from damage and reduce inflammation.
Well, I know these are happy news for your kids (and for you), so you can both enjoy the taste of dark chocolate. But it’s preferable to buy the products that are 70% cocoa because generally, the darker the chocolate, the greater the health benefits.
12- Eggs
Eggs are a rich source of protein and choline which is a nutrient that is necessary for the proper function and development of the brain.
Try a homemade breakfast burrito, loaded with veggies for a quick and healthy breakfast before school.
13- Lean red meats
It’s okay to give your kids red meat because they are high in iron. Iron aids in the production of neurotransmitters, as well as helps blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, including the brain., aiding in attention, concentration and learning new things.
but the researchers say you should limit consumption to no more than 4 servings a week to help protect the brain health. If your kids are under 2 years, you can add minced meat to their diet because it’s easier to chew.
14- Pumpkin Seeds:
Seeds are great for the brain, and pumpkin seeds are the best one. They are packed with omega-3 fatty acids to improve mental health, help maintain memory and support brain development. They also contain high levels of magnesium, which is believed to have a calming effect on the brain.
It also contains zinc, which increases brain power by enhancing focus and memory.
15- Flaxseeds
Flax seeds are a key component of the mind diet. It improves brain health because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Especially the type of omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acids which have been strongly linked to brain health.
So, flax seeds are a perfect way for vegetarians and vegans to add healthy, concentration- boosting fat to their diet.
You can sprinkle flax seeds on a salad or hot or cold cereal to get its benefits.
16- Peanuts or peanut butter
Peanuts and peanut butter can make your kids smarter because they are good sources of healthy fats and they are packed with vitamin E, so they can keep the brain healthy and functioning properly.
Thiamine is also present which helps the brain and nervous system convert glucose to energy.
17- Walnuts:
It’s one of the best foods to the brain. It is a good source of plant-based omega-3 fats, natural phytosterols and antioxidants. So, it boosts brain function and promotes brain healing.
Walnuts are all-stars, they are rich in several nutrients instrumental for brain health, like amino acids, a full spectrum of minerals, B vitamins, vitamin E, which is said to help prevent cognitive decline.
18- Brown rice
Brown rice is full of B-vitamins, which help convert homocysteine (an amino acid) into important brain chemicals used for learning and creating new memories.
19- Oatmeals and whole grain
Whole grains such as bread and cereals provide glucose, an energy source to the brain. Whole grains also contain B vitamins, which are good for the nervous system.
Oatmeals is another important food for the kids. Studies have confirmed how kids who consumed oatmeal performed better on memory-related tasks than other kids. Oates is a good source of fibre to help provide lasting brain energy.
You can add whole grain and oatmeal to most meals by switching to whole grain bread, wraps, and crackers.
20- Beans
Eating black beans, kidney beans, lentils, white beans and other beans provides a hearty dose of folate, a B vitamin that may play a role in preventing dementia later in life, according to a study in the journals of the academy of nutrition and dietetics.
Legumes of all varieties contain high concentrations of folic acid to improve information recall. They also contain high levels of protein to power the brain.
Beans are a cheap, convenient and versatile and it provides more folate than any other food. So, it is one of the best foods for brain health.
21- Carrots
If you hear about the carrot, the first thing comes to your mind is its benefit for eyes. But carrots are also good for the brain because it contains luteolin which helps prevent the loss of memory in the future. Studies show that luteolin helps reduce age-related memory deficits. Another two important compounds in carrots are dextrose and levulose, which mineralize the nerves and the brain.
So, if you include carrot in your kid’s diet, you’ll help your kid to have a strong memory in the future.
22- Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Darker greens, such as spinach, kale, and romaine have more brain-boosting antioxidants and vitamin K.
Try to add leafy greens to your kid’s diet to boost their memory.
23- Eggplants
Eggplants are rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins which have been shown to help with strengthening the memory. A 200g serving of eggplant can provide 1500 milligrams of anthocyanins, which is a fairly high concentration.
You can grill the eggplants, mash it and season it with olive oil and 1 teaspoon of tahini and serve it on a whole grain toast for a brain-boosting treat for your kids.
24- Broccoli
Broccoli is a superfood to the brain. It is high in vitamin K and glucosinolates, which have an antioxidant effect.
Since your kid’s brain uses so much fuel (it uses up to 16% of the human energy), it is more vulnerable to free-radical damage and antioxidants help eliminate this threat.
25- Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another friend to your kid’s brain. It contains the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells. Tomatoes also include other compounds that can protect the brain’s health and functionality.
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Recipes for cakes, biscuits and bars can be As great when whole wheat germ is substituted for a few of the white, all-purpose flour, and the result will be less danger of cardiovascular disease. Start by using a minimum substitution such as 1/4. As an example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup loaf bread, utilize 1/4 cup whole wheat bread and 3/4 cup white bread instead. If you enjoy the outcome, use more whole wheat bread next time. Another Approach is to start looking for recipes that use whole grains to begin with like oatmeal biscuits and muffins. Don’t stop with baked goods when incorporating whole grains to recipes. When cooking main meals and dishes, use brown rice in place of white rice and whole grain bread crumbs or oats in place of white bread crumbs.