Harvard expert: The 6 best foods for boosting brain health in children and increasing focus

Written By رنا السيلاوي on 2022/10/10

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

Weather of Arabia - Many studies indicate that a nutritious diet in childhood is the key to promoting a child's long-term health, as the foods he eats affect his cognition, mood, motor skills and language development. According to a report published by the American “ <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/08/harvard-nutritionist-to-parents-feed-you... ” website, Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist, brain expert and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, says that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, folate, iron, iodine, zinc, choline, and vitamins A and B12. The D supports brain function, behavior, and learning. Avoiding processed foods with added sugars is also essential to a child's health. Children have a special temperament that is sometimes difficult to please, so parents have to be creative in choosing and serving food for their children. Here are six foods that will help your kids boost brain health and help the brain function at maximum efficiency:<h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 1. Superfood juices</h3> Smoothies are a delicious way to incorporate lots of nutrients into your child's diet — and even hide foods your child might refuse to eat, and you can even call it a "milkshake" to make your child more likable. For the best superfood smoothie, add folate and fiber-rich leafy greens like spinach, along with chia seeds or walnuts for a vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. Then put in some avocado for healthy fats, and some blueberries that are rich in antioxidants. Adding plain, unsweetened yogurt can also increase the creamy texture of the smoothie and increase the amount of protein and gut-healthy probiotics that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6445894/">boost mood</a> . <img alt="" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/58/f9/15/58f915d561f393dda25b91f38b78892d... style="width: 900px; height: 1350px;" /><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></h3><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 2. Crunchy Vegetable Fingers</h3> Eating a variety of colorful vegetables is very important for getting enough fiber and phytonutrients, as well as nourishing both your digestive and mental health. An air fryer can be used to make vegetable sticks, as an air fryer adds a crunchy texture to food without deep frying. They can be used to make crunchy sticks of zucchini, carrots, or green beans. Then garnish the vegetables with a little black pepper, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, parsley or thyme to add flavor. <img alt="" src="https://www.cabothealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Cabot-Health-H... style="width: 900px; height: 487px;" /><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 3. Homemade chickpeas</h3> Legumes are vegetarian sources of iron, zinc, protein and fiber, which benefit brain development. Homemade chickpeas are a versatile way to incorporate legumes into your child's diet. It can be served in many ways, such as a dip paired with apple slices, carrot sticks, thinly sliced celery, or peas. Some colors and shapes can be added to hummus to make it more attractive to children, such as: bright orange carrot hummus or deep purple beet hummus, or hummus covered in a shape made of vegetables in the form of a bear face, for example. <img alt="" src="https://cdn.alweb.com/thumbs/taghtheyataltefel/article/fit710x532/%D9%88... style="width: 710px; height: 532px;" /><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 4. Salmon</h3> Introducing your child to fish at an early age can make it more likely that he will enjoy it and eat it as a source of low-fat protein and rich in vitamins for the rest of his life. Soft and light enough for young children, salmon is also a good source of vitamin B12 and omega-3s, which promote healthy brain development and a happier mood. <img alt="" src="https://www.my-easy-cooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Salmon-Slider... style="width: 900px; height: 1233px;" /> (salmon sandwich for kids)<h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 5. eggs</h3> Whole eggs are an excellent source of brain-boosting vitamins A, D, and B12, as well as choline. Choline is especially important for young children to improve brain development and long-term memory. It is recommended to buy pasture-fed chicken eggs. One study found that pasture-raised eggs can contain twice the amount of vitamin E and nearly three times as many omega-3s as farmed eggs. <img alt="" src="https://www.ecowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1893442151-img.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 401px;" /><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></h3><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 6. Meatballs</h3> You can hide some nutritious and fiber-rich vegetables in your child's diet by mixing them with meatballs, such as adding beans, lentils or ground turkey, with chopped spinach or shredded zucchini. Flax seeds can be used to bind the ingredients together and to add an omega-3 ingredient, then you can put your favorite spice mix, and for healthy meatballs, it is recommended to grill the meatballs in the oven instead of frying. <img alt="" src="https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/pork-meatball... style="width: 900px; height: 900px;" />

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

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Harvard expert: The 6 best foods for boosting brain health in children and increasing focus

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