Food plays a fundamental role in the general health of all people, but in the case of children, even more so. Good nutrition and healthy eating habits, are necessary for the little ones to achieve adequate development. And it is that food not only affects the physical growth of children, but also affects the intellectual development of children.
There are certain foods that help improve children's brain maturation development. If you want to discover what these nutrients are, to include them in your children's diet and thus improve their cognitive functions, do not miss the following information. Here you will find in detail what are the foods that can improve the brain development of your children.
Foods that boost children's brains
The foods and nutrients that we are going to list below are essential to improve children's brain development. But do not worry if until now you have not introduced this type of food in your children's diet, it is never too late to start. However, the sooner you do it a lot better, in fact, it would be advisable to do it from the very pregnancy where children's brains begin to form.
You should not be obsessed either, the ideal is that all the family adopt healthy lifestyle habits based on balance. The nutritional pyramid It has been recently renovated and in it, you can find good tips to improve the lifestyle of children.
These are the foods and nutrients that enhance brain development
The hill
Choline is an essential nutrient that is included in the B vitamins. This substance is essential for many neurotransmitter functions to occur, among them, memory. Choline can be found in many foods but in small amounts. The foods that contain the greatest contribution of this essential nutrient are the yolk of the egg, the broad beans, the leafy vegetables or the liver.
Omega 3 fatty acid
Oily fish contains an important supply of essential omega 3 fatty acids, which is an essential substance for the proper functioning of the nervous system. In fact, the brain is 60% fat. The fish with the highest omega 3 content are salmon, sardines, tuna, swordfish, or dogfish among many others.
Proteins
Proteins are essential for life, for the development of the body and for the large number of functions they perform in it. Many foods contain protein but not all proteins contain essential amino acids. And these are the ones that interest us because of their role in brain development. Therefore, it is important to consume proteins of all kinds, this way you make sure that you receive the necessary ones.
Include in your children's diet on a regular basis red meats and assorted legumes. Legumes also provide iron, a mineral that promotes oxygen absorption.
Carbohydrates
The consumption of carbohydrates is essential in the diet of children, since they provide energy to the body. But the energy consumed is not limited to that used for physical activity, but the brain consumes about 20% of energy available in the body every day.
Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as pasta, provide the glucose necessary for good brain function to occur. Include foods rich in slow absorption carbohydrates, like bread or cereals, preferably whole grains. It is very important that these are present throughout the day, but especially at children's breakfast.
The calcium
Calcium is essential for brain function and nerve impulses to be produced correctly, as well as for many other bodily functions. Therefore, children's diet should include a significant daily intake of calcium. In addition to milk and all its derivatives, you can obtain calcium in many other foods such as vegetables, nuts or fruits.
In short, a balanced diet where foods from all groups are included, it will be enough to make sure that your children develop correctly.