6 Brain-Boosting Foods For Developing Minds

Children’s brains are growing and changing just as rapidly as their bodies. That’s why the foods that kids eat are important – during this period of accelerated growth, their cognitive skills and brain development are impacted heavily by what they put in their bodies.

Many foods help with brain development, and many of them are foods kids will actually eat! Below is all you need to know about the foods that foster proper brain development and the important vitamins they contain. Read on to find out more about brain-boosting foods for developing minds!

What Is the Best Brain Food For Children?
For many parents, the best food for their kids is the one they can actually get them to eat. Even if you have a picky eater, there are certain things you must ensure they’re getting for proper brain health and development. The important nutrients you should focus on include:

• Protein – Protein just isn’t something that comes in chicken nugget form. You should also give your child other meats such as beef or pork, as well as eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, and soy products.
• Iron – Iron is important and can be found in a variety of foods such as beans, potatoes, and even fortified cereals.
• Zinc – Your child may not be sucking down oysters (the food that happens to be highest in zinc) anytime soon. But you can still find this important nutrient in a variety of foods such as nuts, fish, dairy, and other meats.
• Choline – You can find choline in various vegetables as well as eggs, meat, and dairy.
• Iodine – Does your kid like sushi? Seaweed is a great source of iodine, but this nutrient can also be found in seafood, enriched grains, dairy, and iodized salt.
• Vitamin A – You may not be able to get your kid to eat liver, but you can luckily find Vitamin A in a variety of other foods such as spinach, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
• Folate – Again, this can be found in liver, but you may want to look for fortified bread and cereal or spinach instead.
• Vitamin D – This vitamin can actually be made by the human body; all you need is a little sunshine to synthesize it. But you can also find it in fatty fish and fortified dairy such as milk.
• Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids – This one is a mouthful, but luckily its sources are delicious. Fatty fish is a great source, such as salmon and tuna, but you can also find it in fortified foods.

So what’s the best vitamin for brain function? Well, all of the vitamins listed above work together. But if you’re looking for something that is considered the best for the brain, B vitamins are crucial since they contribute to producing the energy your brain needs to create new brain cells. A well-balanced diet should include enough B vitamins, as well as other important nutrients, to keep the brain healthy.

What Foods Help Brain Development?
What foods can help a little one with their brain development? Don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be stuff you’ll have to trick them into eating. Many of the foods on this list are ones your children probably already eat, such as:

1. Eggs – Kids love eggs (well, most of them do). Eggs are the perfect food in many ways because they’re full of protein and other important nutrients like choline.
2. Greek yogurt – Most kids are suckers for yogurt because you can make it fun and stir in all kinds of tasty things like fruit or granola. The fat in Greek yogurt is the key to why it’s so good for developing brains. It helps brain cells to send and receive information.
3. Leafy greens – OK, this one might be a little tricky. But the folate and vitamins found in dark leafy greens such as spinach help new brain cells to grow. Try incorporating some spinach in a smoothie with some berries and see how your kid likes it. You can also try putting it in other family favorites such as lasagna or omelets.
4. Fish – Fish is high in those fatty acids that are so good for a developing brain. Tuna and salmon are really good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help kids to focus and aid in brain function. Fish tacos, tuna sandwiches, or even grilled fish with a good dipping sauce may help your child to enjoy fish more.
5. Seeds and nuts – Most kids love to munch on some nuts and seeds if they don’t have allergy issues, so let them have at it! The protein and other important nutrients in seeds help to boost mood and keep the nervous system healthy. Peanut butter is a great kid-friendly source that can go on all sorts of things, but sunflower seeds also make a great butter for those who can’t have peanuts, and it’s just as good a food for the brain.
6. Apples – Most kids love apples, and they also happen to be great for the brain because of antioxidants that help to keep the brain healthy. Make sure no matter how you serve apple, you encourage your kids to eat the skin too, since that’s where a lot of the good stuff resides.

Many of these foods also improve memory and concentration, so make sure your children are getting as many as they can to help them focus and learn. Nutrition is of vital importance for brain development, so make sure to teach your children about the connection between what is on their plate and how it keeps their bodies and minds healthy.

Featured image by Dose Juice on Unsplash