Food for intelligent baby

Baby brain food: 7 foods to fuel brain development

If you’ve ever spent time with a toddler, you probably know they learn quickly and absorb new information like a sponge. But brain development begins long before a child can walk and talk.

Brain cells multiply at an astonishing rate as a baby develops in the womb. The brain continues to grow during infancy as motor functions such as balance and coordination develop. During the toddler years (ages 1 to 3), the brain increases cognitive ability — how quickly a child can interpret and relay information to perform complex tasks.

During these periods of peak growth, nutrition plays an important role. For toddlers, not getting the right nutrients can have a detrimental impact on cognitive development — affecting memory, attention and academic ability later in life.

Key nutrients for baby brain development

While all nutrients are important for brain growth and functioning, some play a bigger role in early brain development than others. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition recommends certain nutrients for healthy brain development in toddlers:

Choline
Folate
Iodine
Iron
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids
Protein
Vitamins A, D, B6 and B12
Zinc

Best foods for baby and toddler brain development

No one food or “superfood” can ensure optimal brain development for toddlers. But some foods are packed with a variety of the necessary nutrients. Just be sure to monitor all new foods to ensure there’s no potential allergy.

1. Eggs

Eggs are nutritious and typically a crowd-pleaser for young children. Brain-boosting nutrients in eggs include choline, vitamin B12 and protein. Choline is especially important for normal brain development and can improve cognitive functioning. Two whole eggs a day provide the choline that children age 8 and younger need.

2. Seafood

Oily fish and other seafood provide a lot of bang for the buck when it comes to brain development —protein, zinc, iron, choline, iodine and omega-3 fats. But avoid feeding your toddler seafood that is high in mercury such as tuna and swordfish. Too much mercury can have harmful effects on a child’s developing nervous system. Instead, opt for low-mercury options such as shrimp, salmon, tilapia, crab or cod. Children under age 3 can have a 1-ounce serving two to three times a week.

3. Leafy green vegetables

There’s a reason that parents try to hide extra leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, in their children’s smoothies and pasta sauce: They’re a great source of iron and folate. Research shows that children who get enough folate tend to have better cognition than kids who don’t get enough. Iron plays an important role in the development of the hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

4. Lean beef (or meat alternative)

Lean beef qualifies as brain food because it is an excellent source of zinc and iron. Iron is especially vital for young children because they are more likely to experience anemia (low iron levels). Nearly one in 10 American children age 3 and younger has an iron deficiency, which can contribute to learning difficulties and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Black bean or soy burgers work as great iron-containing burger substitutes.

5. Yogurt

Unsweetened yogurt is an easy, kid-friendly way to support brain growth. It contains nutrients such as protein, zinc, choline and iodine. Children need iodine to produce thyroid hormones, which are vital to brain development and neurological processes. Even mild iodine deficiency may affect a child’s overall cognitive function and ability to reason.

6. Nuts & seeds

Food such as nuts, seeds and nut butters make a protein- and zinc-packed snack. Protein contributes to healthy brain growth and the development of long-term memory. Zinc also plays an important role during the toddler years, when the brain is growing rapidly. Insufficient amounts of zinc may affect your child’s cognitive development, impairing their memory and ability to learn.

Whole nuts and seeds can be a choking hazard, so try adding water to small amounts of peanut butter, or giving peanut-flavored “puff” snacks instead. Just make sure to choose puffs made from real peanuts with no artificial flavoring.

7. Beans

Beans offer several beneficial nutrients for a developing brain including zinc, protein, iron, folate and choline. Some types of beans, such as kidney, pinto and soybeans, also contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. For vegetarian children, the iron and protein in beans make them an excellent substitute for meat.

If you are concerned about your toddler’s diet or want more guidance about what your toddler should be eating, reach out to your child’s primary care physician.

10 Foods to Eat During Pregnancy to Make Your Baby Smart and Intelligent

Ever wanted to give birth to a genius? No, we aren’t kidding.

A brainy baby will not only be ensured of success early on in life, but one day, your little one will thank you for enabling him with the resources to achieve that success! Since he’ll have comparatively lesser difficulty keeping up with schoolwork, and not face learning disorders like ADHD, it will help in accelerating his retention and absorption skills, both within and outside the classroom.

Video: 10 Foods to Eat During Pregnancy for an Intelligent Baby

Your baby’s cognitive development begins from inside your womb and if you want to raise a naturally intelligent kid with a high IQ right from birth, keep reading.

10 Best Foods to Eat During Pregnancy to Make Baby Smart & Intelligent

It’s no wonder doctors recommend that you take your Vitamin D, folic acid, and iron supplements during your pregnancy. The foods you eat are likely to affect how your baby’s cognitive development takes place.

Are you wondering what to eat during pregnancy to make your baby intelligent? Then here are the top 10 foods that are highly recommended for pregnant women.

1. Fatty Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids are integral to your baby’s brain development. Pregnant women must eat salmon for giving birth to intelligent children. Aim to eat at least two or more servings of fish per week. Another option in seafood includes oysters which are rich in iodine. Pregnant women with low iodine levels should note that their baby’s intelligence can be affected negatively if healthy levels of the same aren’t maintained.

2. Green Leafy Vegetables

From spinach and lentils to leafy greens which are rich in folic acid, eating green leafy vegetables and certain pulses is important as it helps keep your baby’s brain protected from tissue damage. Folic acid in vegetables is also known for reducing the risk of neural tube defects, eliminating cleft lip and various heart defects in babies. You also reduce the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy when you make sure to maintain your intake of foods or supplements rich in folic acid.

3. Blueberries

Blueberries are antioxidant-rich foods which will aid your baby’s cognitive development. Other alternatives for blueberries are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes, beans, and artichokes.

4. Eggs

Eggs are high in protein and low in calories, especially boiled eggs. They contain an amino acid called choline which has been proven to aid brain development and enhance memory too. Also, ensure that you avoid unpasteurised eggs since they contain bacteria which may lead to complications.

5. Almonds

Almonds are loaded with healthy fats, magnesium, Vitamin E, and protein. Brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids are found abundantly in almonds. Having a fistful of almonds every day is recommended for giving birth to children who are intelligent right from birth. Eating peanuts during pregnancy can also help the baby develop intelligence; walnuts are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids too.

6. Greek Yogurt

Protein-rich foods are necessary for forming healthy nerve cells in the mother’s womb for the cognitive development of the baby. Probiotic foods like Greek yoghurt are an amazing way to throw in a little calcium for your baby’s bone development as well. Greek yoghurt is also a rich source of iodine, which helps reduce or prevent the possibility of your baby being born with low birth weight.

7. Cheese

Vitamin D is very important for the cognitive development of babies. Pregnant mothers with low levels of Vitamin D in their body can give birth to babies with low IQ levels. If you want a smart baby with a healthy IQ, make sure to up your dose of cheese!

8. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc. Zinc is a mineral that’s known to promote proper brain structure and aid in the cognitive processing of information. They are high in nutrition and are a rich source of antioxidants too!

9. Beans

Iron is needed by the body for transporting oxygen to nerve cells in the baby’s brain. Beans contain a good amount of iron, which is why pregnant mothers are recommended to up their intake of this food item in their diets. Other iron-rich foods worth adding to your diet are spinach, figs, chicken, and raisins. Eat raisins in moderate proportions to keep your sugar levels in check.

10. Milk

A lack of iron content in pregnant mothers’ bodies leads to mental growth retardation and majorly affects the baby’s overall cognitive development. Milk aids in developing healthy cognitive functions and supports brain development in babies before birth.

Tips and Precautions

What you eat can affect your baby’s development, so make sure to pay heed to the following.

Be sure to monitor everything you put into your mouth and keep in mind about choosing fresh and organic foods to eat during pregnancy for an intelligent baby.
Avoid processed foods, sugary substances and definitely avoid things like alcohol, smoking, and anything that contributes to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Avoid raw meat, fish with mercury, raw shellfish and caffeine, since these increase the likelihood of contamination, thereby leading to complications and/or a miscarriage.
Ensure that you wash the fruits and vegetables you eat very well before cutting them. Germs, if not removed properly, can enter the flesh of the fruits when they’re being cut and this could cause trouble for you and your unborn baby later on.
If you feel like your intake of fruits and veggies needs to be increased, include it in your other meals. Chop up veggies and add them to your omelette or cut up fruits and add them to your bowl of oatmeal or porridge; there are several ways to incorporate them into your daily meals. You can also juice fruits, but make sure that you don’t substitute these juices for the actual fruits.

You can consider taking supplements if you have a hard time meeting your recommended daily intake of iron, Vitamin D, and folic acid, but consult a doctor regarding dosages before starting to use them. So, make sure to follow these tips and include these foods in your diet to ensure your baby’s healthy brain development and to bring another genius into this world!

Also Read: Consuming Tomatoes during Pregnancy – Is It Safe?

"Smart" nutrition - Smart child - Aptaclub.

Yes, that's right - balanced and complete nutrition contributes to both the healthy development of the child's brain and its good functioning, activating concentration skills and memory, which have a beneficial effect on the general mental abilities of the child and his perception!

The child's brain develops most intensively before 3 years of age. The same applies to the immune system. Therefore, in this age period (starting from 6 months, when complementary foods are added to mother's milk), parents should try to ensure that the baby receives the nutrition necessary for its development. Let's try to figure out which nutrients are important at this stage, what their functions are, and how they affect the physical and spiritual health of the baby.

Nutrition and its impact on the development and functioning of the baby's brain

While mommy feeds the baby with her milk, the baby receives all the necessary nutrients and vitamins, as well as substances that strengthen the immune system and contribute to the successful development and functioning of the baby's brain. But when the complementary feeding period begins, it is important to pay attention to whether the child is getting the necessary nutrients from food. It must also be understood that the child's menu is different from the adult's menu. A balanced diet with the right proportions of nutrients and vitamins is of great importance for a child to grow up not only physically strong, with a good immune system, but also have a stable nervous system, good memory and ability to concentrate. This will further affect school success and overall health.

Especially important iron - it is necessary for blood circulation, which, in turn, contributes to the development of the baby's brain and provides energy. It supplies tissues with oxygen, therefore it is involved in the formation of bone tissue, teeth and in the activity of the immune system. The more the body develops, the more iron it needs. It is best obtained from lean meats. Remember that calcium prevents the absorption of iron, but vitamin C enhances it. Therefore, foods containing iron are best eaten with fresh vegetables and fruits.

If the baby is given mashed vegetables, it is advisable to start with tender vegetables, such as zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, and then supplement the menu with other vegetables - broccoli (which is the richest source of iron), spinach, paprika, eggplant, etc. These vegetables are also powerful antioxidants that can repair damaged cells. Sources of iron also include lean meats and some legumes (beans, peas), which improve brain function. In the menu of a small child (from 8 months old), it is advisable to include, first of all, tender meat - rabbit, turkey, chicken or veal (if the child does not have intolerance or allergies). The meat is best boiled or stewed, and then chopped in a blender.

B vitamins - are involved in the development of the nervous system and the formation of the protective membranes of the nerves. These vitamins are mainly involved in the work of the muscular and nervous systems, especially B12 and folic acid, which promotes cell repair. Therefore, B vitamins are an integral part of the child's growth process. They also contribute to the formation of red blood cells in the body and strengthen the immune system.

Dairy products are rich in proteins and B vitamins, which are important for the development and growth of brain tissue. Recommended foods are yogurt without additives, not too fatty sour cream, cheese, kefir (there is an opinion that cow's milk should not be given to a child under 3 years old, as it can cause an allergic reaction), as well as cereals. Vitamin B6 is found in all types of meat, as well as vegetables and fruits. For example, one banana contains most of the vitamin B6 needed throughout the day. Interestingly, the composition of the egg includes almost all B vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, as well as the element choline, which improves memory. Less allergenic and more suitable in size for a small child will be quail eggs.

Carbohydrates - an essential part of them is glucose, which supplies the brain with energy resources. Within one minute, 100 g of the brain consumes up to 5 mg of glucose, the main substrate for respiration of brain tissues. It is interesting that, first of all, the energy of glucose is used precisely for the work of the brain, the rest of the functions in this case are secondary. Carbohydrates are an integral part of the blood, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the body. Therefore, an actively growing organism, especially in the first 3 years, they are especially necessary.

Carbohydrates are one of the most important nutrients in the first years of life, when the development of the baby is especially rapid. The richest source of carbohydrates are cereals (except for them, of course, fruits, berries and dairy products), since they provide the body, including the brain, with “fast” energy. Therefore, porridges from cereals are recommended, starting with rice, ending with porridges from other types of cereals. Important! You should find out if the baby has an allergic reaction to nutrients such as gluten (a protein found in grains of wheat, rye, barley and oats).

Fats - they make up 60% of brain tissues. Fats are extremely important for the formation of the nervous system. Thanks to them, for example, nerve cells can grow. Fats are divided into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids, the most important for nerve tissues are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which contribute to the full development of nerve cells, retina, heart and brain and boost the immune system.

Considering the need of a rapidly growing body for energy, up to 3 years of age, a very large amount of fat should be included in the diet of a child. This is necessary so that the brain can develop normally, as well as for the good functioning of the hormonal system. The required amount of fatty acids can be obtained from oily sea fish, such as steamed (in a double boiler) salmon, since it contains the omega-3 acids that the body needs, which improve the cognitive function of the brain. It is also good to include white fish, such as cod fillet, in the diet of a small child. If a child refuses fish, it is worth considering the use of fish oil. It is desirable to supplement the diet with vegetable oils, for example, olive and rapeseed. It is worth remembering that the seeds of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and strawberries are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and strawberries and blueberries can improve memory.

What else should be considered?

In order for the child's brain to receive all the necessary nutrients and develop normally, the child's menu must be appropriate for his age and state of health. Gradually including new products in the menu, care should be taken to ensure that the child does not develop allergic reactions, therefore it is necessary to control the content of salt and sugar in the child's food. Nutrition should be healthy, balanced, varied and, of course, tasty.

Often, allergic reactions in children do not come from any particular vegetable or fruit, but from the chemicals they are treated with. Therefore, it is recommended to choose, if possible, more environmentally friendly products, ideally grown on their own. Therefore, products that may contain preservatives, flavorings and colorings should be avoided.

Not only the food itself is important, but also the way it is cooked (steaming, boiling or frying). As you know, if processed incorrectly, if boiled or fried for too long, important nutrients disappear, and the food becomes of little value. A small child should take a large amount of fluid daily. It can be not only water, but also fresh fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas, etc.

Consult your family doctor or paediatrician about the nutrition your child needs, given their age!

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How to have a smart baby - the impact of nutrition during pregnancy

What mother does not dream of giving birth to a smart baby! And here it is very important how a woman ate during 9 months of pregnancy.

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Foods for brain development
Glucose for baby's brain
Genetic factors of inheritance of intelligence

Anticipate the objections of skeptics. They say that mother nature initially gave the baby, so he will be. And if the child is lucky with the genes of smart parents, then he himself will be born with a good bright head. Indeed, the genius of a baby is largely determined by genetics. But scientists have shown that some foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and choline, known as vitamin B4, have a great impact on the IQ of the baby. And if a woman followed an appropriate diet for pregnant women, she has a chance to give birth, if not a brilliant, then at least just a smart baby, is much higher.

Brain food

What is the most important thing in the nutrition of a pregnant woman? We will not be mistaken if we say that everything that is useful is useful to the brain the rest of the body. True, there are some peculiarities here.

The brain consists of 60% fat, therefore, special attention should be paid to fats, their quality and composition. attention. This should not be forgotten by mothers who are afraid of weight gain and sit down on a strict low calorie diet. Polyunsaturated fats are good for the brain, and saturated fats are harmful. Particularly important for mental activity, according to scientists, the so-called omega-3 fatty acids. There are many in fish (especially salmon), flax seeds, nuts (especially pistachios) and kiwi. The daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids should be at least 300 mg/day, but it can be bring up to 1000 mg/day.
A mother who cares about the gray cells of her unborn baby should include germinated wheat in her diet , eggs, beef, dairy products as sources choline ( vitamin AT 4).
Another important component of the diet for the brain are proteins. The fact is that from them our long-term memory depends. If you turn off the formation of new proteins in the brain for a while, then the ability to remember something, and, accordingly, to learn something will be close to zero. We even we won’t remember in the evening what we did in the morning or yesterday. So meat, fish, dairy products, legumes should be in mom's diet every day.
Baby's gray cells need antioxidants. Expectant mother is recommended to dial daily as at least 3000-6000 units of antioxidant activity. It is not difficult to do this, especially in summer, when fresh berries ripen. A pregnant woman is supposed to eat approximately 80-100 g of fresh blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or 50 g cranberries or black currants.
There are special nutrients without which the human brain simply cannot function. serious lack of vitamin B9, B12 or iron can cause brain dysfunction. Two The mother can get enough of the latter substances if there are livers in her diet, kidneys and other organ meats, just meat, poultry, fish, dairy and sour-milk products, cheeses . A folic acid (vitamin B9) as the most important, it is better to receive in the form of preparations, since a sufficient amount of it in the mother's body reduces the risk abnormal development of the nervous system in a child by 72%.
And finally, the main fuel for smart thoughts is glucose, that is, sugar. Imagine, the brain needs 6 grams of sugar every 60 minutes to function properly. The brain is costly organ is small - only 2% of the total body weight, and takes a fifth of the entire energy from food, and a fifth of all the oxygen that the lungs extract. Babies still have a brain more "gluttonous", it takes more than half of all energy and oxygen from babies. The gray cells of a child require 2 times more glucose than an adult enough. That's why they're so bad grades at school in children who do not eat breakfast at all: temporary morning hypoglycemia due to lack of sugar in the blood causes insufficient mental activity. Don't think that we are calling expectant mothers to lean on sweets. The drop in glucose levels does not occur when a woman refuses chocolate and cakes, and when he skips breakfast or lunch. So follow the recommendations eat fractionally and often , if you want your child to have a flexible mind, study well at school, make a career in life.

Smart DNA

Of course, this article completely cancels the laws of genetics. They are still decisive. Truth in them The researchers made adjustments. Among the latest discoveries of scientists are such facts.

A woman over 35 is less likely to give birth to a child prodigy.
Babies born by caesarean section are not as smart as babies born in a natural way.
The mother's genes influence the work of the baby's gray cells more. Dad's outstanding abilities are transferred to the heir less often.

If you have any questions, you can ask our specialists online at Doctis app.