Table of contents:
- Nutrition to improve children's intelligence
- 1. Omega-3 and omega-6
- 2. Iron
- 3. Choline
- 4. Vitamin B12
- 5. Folate
All parents want their children to grow up to be healthy and intelligent children. Children are expected to easily concentrate, be able to understand lessons, and achieve brilliant achievements in school. One way you can do this is to provide nutrient dense food for children every day. However, are there nutrients for children's brains that can help improve intelligence? Come on, find out through the following reviews.
Nutrition to improve children's intelligence
The nutritional needs of a child's brain need not only be met at the developmental age of children (under five years).
These nutrients are also important to be fulfilled during the development period of children 6-9 years to support their growth and development.
According to an article published in the Virtual Lab School, the thinking ability of children at school age will increase.
This is because children meet a lot of new people, go to new places, and find lots of interesting things.
This shows that the nutritional requirements for children's brains are also getting higher.
As a parent, you certainly want to be able to support the brain development that is being experienced by children by providing foods that are rich in the nutrients they need.
This brain development can later support children's cognitive development, children's social development, children's emotional development, and children's physical development.
Therefore, you need to know what foods contain the nutrients needed to help brain development so that children are smart.
Some special nutrients that can support children's brain development more optimally:
1. Omega-3 and omega-6
Omega-3 and omega-6 are two types of fatty acids that are needed by the child's brain.
If you have heard the terms DHA and AA, they are two other forms of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
These two fatty acids can support children's brain development to be more optimal.
DHA, which is part of the omega-3 fatty acids, can make up 8% of the total brain weight. This is clearly useful for optimizing children's brain function.
Omega-3 fatty acids obtained from food will be converted into DHA with the help of the delta-4-desaturase enzyme.
Unfortunately, 3 year olds do not have this enzyme in large quantities. That is why children need to be given milk that is high in omega 3, 6 and DHA so that their intelligence will increase.
In addition, you can also meet the nutritional intake needed by this child's brain by providing various types of oily fish.
For example, oily fish including food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
Meanwhile, to increase your child's intake of omega-6 fatty acids, you can give them nuts such as soybeans, almonds, and cashews as snacks.
Currently there is also available milk for children that is enriched with the two nutrients needed for children's brain development, namely omega-3 and omega-6.
That way, this can be a practical choice to meet the nutritional needs of children on a daily basis.
In addition to supporting children's brain development, this nutrient also has other health benefits, one of which is increasing good cholesterol levels in the body.
In addition, omega-3 fatty acids can also prevent plaque in blood vessels and reduce the accumulation of fat under the skin and stored in the liver.
2. Iron
Apart from omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, another nutrient needed to support children's brain development and intelligence is iron.
During their growth and development, children need these nutrients to increase their intelligence.
Red blood cells need iron intake in children to transport oxygen to every cell in the body, including the brain.
This iron will be used to improve the ability and function of the child's brain.
Therefore, meet the nutritional needs of this child by giving him foods rich in iron, such as cereals, rice, whole grains, animal protein sources (red meat), and nuts.
You can also give green leafy vegetables to children because they are a great source of iron, according to Kids Health.
Nutrition that is good for children's brains also has other health benefits, for example it is important to increase energy and the child's immune system.
3. Choline
Another good nutrient to help improve children's brain function is choline.
Choline is a water-soluble chemical compound that functions similarly to vitamins. Choline is still in the same family as folate and vitamin B complex.
Because it is still closely related to folate and B vitamins, choline is known as a micronutrient that is important for carrying out various body functions.
No exception, this nutrient is also good for cognitive function and brain power of children. Choline can help produce DNA as well as increase nerve signals in a child's brain.
If the child's brain signal flow develops optimally, the child's brain development will also be more optimal in thinking.
In addition, choline can also activate acetylcholine, a chemical compound that can help communication between nerves and muscles.
This can make children better able to concentrate and improve their memory.
Not only as a nutrient for children's brains, choline is also useful for forming a substance that can move cholesterol to the liver in the body.
If you are deficient in these nutrients, there may be a buildup of cholesterol in the liver. The best source of choline is in eggs.
However, if there is an allergy in children to eggs, you can provide other food sources of choline such as chicken liver, meat, salmon, and milk.
4. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B is a type of vitamin that is needed by the body, especially for children who are growing and developing.
Of the eight types of vitamins that are included in the B vitamin category, all of them are equally included in nutrients that are beneficial for children's growth and development.
One of them is vitamin B12 or cobalamin which is included in the most important nutrients for brain development so that children are smart.
A study published in the Food and Nutrition Bulletin revealed that children who are deficient in vitamin B12 are more prone to inflammation and inhibit the speed of nerve impulses in the brain.
Vitamin B12 can also help the body's genetic material production, namely DNA and RNA, which plays an important role in children's brain development.
The more optimal the development of DNA and RNA in a child's brain, the better the child's brain's ability to develop during their development.
You can give your little one a variety of food sources of vitamin B12 such as eggs, tempeh, soy milk, almond milk, cheddar cheese, or cereals.
Guide your child so that he wants to eat nutritionally balanced meals on a regular basis so that the nutritional needs for children's brain development are met.
Besides being useful as a nutrient for smart children's brains, vitamin B12 is apparently also needed in the formation of red blood cells in the body.
When the level of vitamin B12 in the body is too low, the production of red blood cells is inhibited. This can cause anemia in children.
5. Folate
Folate is a natural form of vitamin B9 that cannot be produced by the body.
Therefore, good nutrition for brain development so that this smart child can only be obtained from food.
Folate is needed to form DNA and strengthen the nervous system in children's brains during their growing period.
Launching from Mott Children's Hospital, folic acid also helps prevent children from developing anemia.
Teach your children to dare to eat spinach and broccoli to get enough folate benefits.
Yes, green vegetables have a high enough folate content, which is good for children's brain development. If your child has difficulty eating vegetables, don't be discouraged first.
You can still meet the nutritional needs to increase the intelligence of this one child with other sources of folate such as beef liver, chicken, tempeh, and whole grains.
Children's brains need to be supported by proper nutrition to ensure their development, especially at school age.
Make sure your child's daily intake is rich in calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamins B1, B6, and B12, and most importantly high in omega 3 and 6.
As a result, your child's brain function will be more optimal and increase their intelligence.
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