Best Brain Foods for Children

Give Kids a Nutritional Advantage This School Year with Smart Foods

Aug 23, 2007

School-age children need to eat nutritionally balanced meals to keep their growing brains in optimum condition. Here are some of the best brain foods for kids.

Parents who want their children to do well in school can give them a boost by ensuring that they get the proper nutrition to keep brain function in optimum condition. The best diet to keep kids brains and bodies healthy is a balanced one, rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and whole grains. However, studies have found that some foods are particularly effective in enhancing brain function. Here are some of the best foods for the brain.

1. Oatmeal For Breakfast

Children who eat oatmeal versus cold cereal or no breakfast at all perform better on tasks of memory, according to research findings conducted by Tufts University and sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company. The study found that complex tasks are most affected by the difference in breakfast foods consumed by children. In fact, more than two-thirds of the children performed better on tasks of spatial memory, which is important for math and geography skills, when they ate oatmeal versus no breakfast. And only half the children performed better when they ate ready-to-eat cold cereal versus no breakfast. Oatmeal’s attributes promote slower and prolonged release of glucose into the blood system which enhances cognitive performance.

2. Tuna and Salmon for Intelligence

Tuna and Salmon are the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids and it is also a major structural component of the retina of the eye. A large number of studies have suggested that low DHA levels are associated with problems with intelligence, vision, and behavior, according to Dr. Alan Greene, a noted pediatrician and author of Raising Baby Green.

3. Nuts and Flaxseed are Smart Too

It may be difficult to get picky eaters to consume tuna or salmon, so feed them walnuts, almonds or flaxseed, which are great sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s easy enough to mix some flaxseed meal into the pancake batter or to put a spoon full of flax oil into a smoothie.

Fruits and vegetables, which are high in antioxidants, have been linked to improved memory and brain function. Studies have shown that strawberries and blueberries are especially effective and that eating them results in improved coordination, concentration and short-term memory.

5. Dried Fruits Keep Kids Alert

Dried fruits are high in iron, which improves mental alertness and energy levels. So parents should pack some trail mix, containing raisins and dried cherries, in their child’s lunch.

6. Yogurt Enhances Learning

Studies show that children eating high calcium foods for breakfast had enhanced behavior and learning. Calcium also helps strengthen bones and help children remain active.

7. Eggs For Remembering

Eggs are rich in choline, which the body uses to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Researchers at Boston University found that when healthy young adults were given the drug scopolamine, which blocks acetylcholine receptors in the brain, it significantly reduced their ability to remember word pairs. Eggs can also be a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

So those are some of the best foods to feed a learning child. What are the worst foods for the brain? Anything that is very high in refined sugars and carbohydrates. According to The Journal of Pediatrics there is a more pronounced response to a glucose overload in children than in adults, resulting in altered thinking, irritability and hyperactivity. The problem with highly refined sugars and carbohydrates is that they enter the bloodstream quickly and produce more rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels. The brain doesn't get its steady fuel supply and behavior and learning become more erratic.

Biggest Brain Drains:

Good nutrition is essential for a child's physical health and important for academic success. Eating meals as a family is also a predictor of future academic success.

The copyright of the article Best Brain Foods for Children in Nutrition is owned by Claudia M. Lenart. Permission to republish Best Brain Foods for Children in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.