Ever wondered why your picky eater struggles to focus on his/her studies? Or feel lethargic even after getting the required sleep night after night? While you may obsessively look for answers outside, it is right on their plates. The food kids (and even adults) eat directly influences their physical well-being and also shapes their cognitive abilities. It is why the saying goes, ‘We are what we eat.’
Nutrition is important for every individual, but it plays a more crucial role for kids in their developmental years. We at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the leading CBSE schools in Gurgaon, firmly believe the foundation of lifelong learning is developed in kids during their early years. As such, if they fail to receive appropriate nutrition in childhood, their physical and cognitive abilities may not fully develop. But worry not, the good part is that you do not have to be a nutritionist to prepare meals that fuel their holistic growth. To simplify things, we have covered everything you must know about your growing kid and their nutritional requirement. Make sure you read until the end.
The Brain-Food Connection
A kid’s brain is like a little explorer who constantly needs nourishment to keep going and learning. Another simple way to understand this concept is to consider your child’s brain like an engine that requires fuel (read nutrients) to function smoothly. As long as they receive the needed nutrients, their brain will function optimally, accelerating their learning process.
Good nutrition has numerous parts, like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, hydration, etc., but you must focus on the top aspects. If you’re just getting started, stick to the following:
-
Be Careful of the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
If your kids drink sugary beverages or consume junk food or excessive chocolates, episodes of post-sugar-rush crash won’t be new in your house. When kids consume food or beverages high in sugar and carbohydrates, their blood sugar levels instantly spike. It directly impacts their mood, energy, and eventually, learning capabilities. Such food items give a sudden energy boost to one’s body, but it soon crashes after some time. Kids who frequently experience such blood sugar crashes are prone to feeling more lethargic, energy-drained, and irritable throughout the day.
Here, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok would like to advise you to prefer giving them meals high in complex carbohydrates. Items like whole grains and fruits are excellent for kids and can help them maintain steady blood sugar levels. It eventually contributes to more focused learning and aids consistency.
-
Hydration and Brain
When discussions around nutrition are initiated, people talk mostly about food, and hydration doesn’t even reach the discussion table. We want to highlight that adequate hydration is equally important as healthy food. Kid’s brains are like plants that need water to thrive. If they don’t drink enough water, dehydration can impair their cognitive function, memory, and concentration.
This can be especially true for kids who instantly grab sugary beverages over water when thirsty. As parents, you have to interrupt this unhealthy pattern and see to it that they choose water over other drinks. We are sure that if you explain to them why water is anytime a better choice than sugary drinks to satiate their thirst, they will gradually learn to make the right food choices on their own.
-
Leverage the Power of Proteins
If you or any of your friends/relatives go to gym or fitness classes, you must’ve definitely heard them talking about the necessity of proteins in their diet. Well, that’s because proteins are considered the strongest muscle building blocks. But are you aware proteins are equally important for brain development in children? Proteins help build neurotransmitters, the messengers responsible for transmitting signals between nerve cells. If your kid doesn’t get enough protein, this signal transmission can be affected. This means their ability to concentrate while learning will also be hindered.
Hence, we recommend that parents include sufficient protein in their kid’s meals. You can opt for items like eggs, yogurt, lean meats, legumes, whole grains, soya chunks, peas, etc., to fulfill the protein requirement of your little ones.
-
The Essential Micronutrients
We all know that complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat, fiber, and hydration are important to a kid’s nutrition, but what about micronutrients? They contribute equally to good health but aren’t discussed as widely as other nutritional components. Micronutrients like minerals, vitamins, iron, etc., all support various cognitive and physical bodily functions like optimal brain functioning, hemoglobin production, bone strengthening, neurotransmitter synthesis, and much more.
Any deficiency in the required micronutrient level can affect the way your kid’s mind and body function, leading to developmental delays and hindered cognitive abilities. Thus, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, positioned among the most trusted best schools in Gurgaon, would like to recommend adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to the diet of your kids to ensure fulfilling their micronutrient requirements. It will fuel their growing brains, ensuring they learn and grow well minus any health challenges.
Conclusion
The journey of early childhood learning is closely intertwined with the food kids consume. Thus, as parents, it is important for you to remain attentive to your child’s age-specific nutritional needs. By addressing and fulfilling their nutritional requirements, you can contribute pretty well to their development, which is necessary for boosting their learning capabilities as well. So, if you’re ready to set the stage for your kid’s lifelong learning, make sure you begin nurturing their body and mind through proper nutrition.