Nutritious Brain Food Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com
Providing nutritious food is part of raising a healthy family. But, this is not easy to do when your days are consumed with also educating these children at home. So why not combine educating and feeding and take care of preparing your children’s brains with the best possible food to help them learn.
Start with breakfast. We’re not talking about a Poptart or a bowl of sugary cearal. Breakfast has been associated with achieving higher grades, being able to stay focused and pay attention during learning times, and ability to stay alert. While those who skip breakfast may find themselves sluggish, inattentive and have junk-food cravings throughout the day. Healthy breakfast and good nutrition throughout the day has been linked with lessening ADD and ADHD behavior, preventing depression and ability to stay focused. The best way to start your day is with balanced complex carbohydrates such as top 10 breakfast choices from Dr. Sears, a well-known pediatritian:
1. granola cereal, yogurt, a sliced apple
2. scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice
3. veggie omelet, bran muffin, fruit with yogurt
4. whole-grain pancakes or waffles topped with berries and/or yogurt, milk
5. whole-wheat zucchini pancakes topped with fruit, milk
6. french toast topped with fruit, orange juice or milk
7. low-fat cheese melted on toast with a piece of fruit
8. low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel, orange juice
9. peanut butter and banana slices on an english muffin, milk
10. For a breakfast-on-the-run smoothie, see "School-Ade."
If you are in a hurry, he suggests you mix up a smoothie to grab and go:
· 3 cups milk or soy beverage
· 11/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
· 1-2 servings Juice Plus+® Complete or similar multinutrient supplement
· one banana
· 1 cup frozen blueberries
· 1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g., organic strawberries, papaya, mango)
· 2 tbsp. flax oil or 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
· 4 ounces tofu
· 2 tbsp. peanut butter (optional)
· 1 tbsp. cinnamon
· 1/2 avocado
Or a School-ade quick drink:
· 2 cups of milk or soy or rice beverage, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup yogurt
· 1 serving Juice Plus+® Complete
· 2 tsp. flax oil
· 1 small frozen banana, cut up
· 1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g., blueberries strawberries, papaya)
· 2 ice cubes if fruit is not frozen or if you want a lighter taste
Makes one 20-ounce serving. (approximately 550 calories)
In addition to a good breakfast, you need to feed your child frequently throughout the day to help set the best environment for learning and peak brain functions. He suggests setting up a nibble tray, which is an ice cube tray, a muffin tin or a multi-sectioned plate. Inside, include lots of brain-healthy food such as bite-size portions of colorful, nutritious foods – avocado sections, banana slices or cooked carrot wheels, broccoli trees, cheese blocks, little O’s (Cheerios), canoe eggs (hard-boiled eggs cut lengthwise in wedges), moons (peeled apple slices, thinkly spread with peanut butter) or shells and worms (different shapes of pasta). If your child likes to dip, include yogurt or guacamole (without the spices).
Some other foods which Dr. Sears recommends that boost brain function are:
· Fruits: grapefruit, apples, cherries, oranges, and grapes have a low glycemic index. Fruits have a lower G.I. than fruit juices, because the fiber in the fruit slows the absorption of the fruit sugar. A whole apple will be more brain-friendly than apple juice; a whole orange better than orange juice. Freshly-made juice containing a lot of pulp is more brain-friendly than filtered juice.
· Cereals and grains: oatmeal and bran have the lowest G.I. Other foods with a favorable G.I. are spaghetti and rice. Corn flakes and sugar-coated cereals have higher G.I.s.
· Vegetables and legumes: Legumes, such as soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils have the lowest glycemic index of any food. Potatoes and carrots have a much higher G.I.
· Dairy products: Milk and yogurt have low glycemic indexes, slightly higher than legumes, but lower than fruits. Plain yogurt has a lower glycemic index than yogurt with fruit preserves or added sugar.
Here’s some recommendations for good and bad brain foods:
Some good brain foods include:
· Avocados
· Bananas
· Beef, lean
· Brewer's yeast
· Broccoli
· Brown rice
· Brussel sprouts
· Cantaloupe
· Cheese
· Chicken
· Collard greens
· Eggs
· Flaxseed oil
· Legumes
· Milk
· Oatmeal
· Oranges
· Peanut butter
· Peas
· Potatoes
· Romaine lettuce
· Salmon
· Soybeans
· Spinach
· Tuna
· Turkey
· Wheat germ
· Yogurt
Foods to avoid are:
· Alcohol
· Artificial food colorings
· Artificial sweeteners
· Colas
· Corn syrup
· Frostings
· High-sugar "drinks"
· Hydrogenated fats
· Junk sugars
· Nicotine
· Overeating
· White bread
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