Food For Thought - Big Y® World Class Market®

Ah, the new school year. Fresh new clothes, fresh supplies, fresh classes and more. But what about your child’s diet? Are they eating what they need in order to prepare their brains for learning?

The Original Information Superhighway

Just like the other parts of the body, the brain needs high-quality food. It uses 20 to 25 percent of the total energy your body consumes, and the better you feed your brain, the better it works. When food enters the body, the organs “line up” to take their portions of the nutrients. The most vital organs get the first pick of the nutrients from the bloodstream, and the brain is at the front of the line; it has VIP status!

The brain is composed of trillions of nerve cells, and thoughts, memories, and actions depend on those cells being able to “talk” to each other. The system looks a bit like an interstate highway system with multiple roadways connecting many cities. Depending on your food choices, the information travels from cell to cell in a race car (good nutrients) or a beat-up car (bad nutrients). The food we consume is the fuel required to get the information from one cell to another. Take a minute to sort out the food your kids are eating, and which kind of fuel their brains depend on.

Food Sorting and Sifting

Carbs

The brain is a sugar-beggar or a carb-craver, using 20 percent of the body’s carbohydrate supply. But it is very selective about the types of sugars it craves and how it processes them. It prefers a steady supply to help it move along at a smooth, steady pace. When sugar levels fluctuate, the brain revolts, and your child’s behavior and learning may suffer. Sugars found in foods such as candy, syrups and packaged baked goods may produce the well-known sugar highs followed by the sugar blues — not a good combination for learning. Studies show that the best sugars for the brain are complex carbohydrates or “starches” which the body breaks down more slowly. These include vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, legumes and pasta, along with sugars (fructose) found in fresh fruit.

Protein

Proteins are important because the chemicals in the brain are made from proteins: The brain needs amino acids which come from protein/carbohydrate combinations in the diet. When you feed your child these protein combinations, you are feeding the brain’s messengers. The better you feed the messengers, the more efficiently they deliver information. High protein, low carbohydrate foods that are likely to jump-start the brain are seafood, soy, meat, eggs and dairy products. High carbohydrate/low protein foods that are more likely to relax the brain include chocolate, pastries, desserts, bean burritos, nuts, seeds and legumes.

Smart fats

Research has shown that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid and a structural component of brain tissue, has a crucial influence on the brain’s functioning. In fact, cultures where diets are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as Eskimos, have a lower incidence of disease of the central nervous system. DHA is available at high levels in coldwater fish such as sardines, salmon and albacore tuna. Oils such as flaxseed, soy and canola are also rich sources.

Not-so-smart fats

Avoid processed fats that use words like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated in the fine print of package labels. This process produces trans fatty acids which can actually reduce the effectiveness of the good fats in the brain and build up over time in the blood vessels, limiting the blood flow to the brain.

Iron

Iron is necessary for healthy brain tissue and performance. Symptoms of iron deficiency include irritability and reduced mental alertness. When the iron levels of students increase, they concentrate and learn better. (Talk with your child’s pediatrician before adding iron supplements to your child’s diet.) Great natural sources of iron include lean beef, beans, eggs, sardines, fortified cereal, figs, dark turkey meat and sesame seeds.

Calcium and fiber

Calcium isn’t important just for building bones — it builds the brain too. Children who are more hyperactive have been shown to have lower calcium in their diet than less hyperactive children. Fiber, on the other hand, doesn’t directly affect the brain, but it influences how other nutrients affect the brain by helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. A bowl of bran cereal or an apple as a snack keeps the brain working in top form.

Real Life Translation: Lunches for Learning
So how does that translate into everyday lunch ideas?

Our advice: be good to your brain and it will be good to you. Here are a few suggestions for packing a brain-friendly lunch:

Keep it colorful.

Translation: Pack lots of fruits and vegetables: Green grapes, yellow bananas, orange carrots and redapples are great examples. Many of the vitamins and minerals your child’s brain needs are found in these power-packed foods. If it’s colorful on your plate, it’s probably good for your brain.

Don’t overdo the sweets.

Translation: Avoid juice or sodas which are generally high in sugar. Even if the label says “no sugar added” that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no sugar in it. Pack milk or water instead because those nutrients will help to keep them focused at school.

Enjoy a good balancing act.

Translation: Include several food groups in your child’s lunch. For example, try a turkey sandwich with cheese on whole grain bread, a banana, carrot sticks and milk, and you’ve hit on several food groups. When your body has variety, the food works together to provide a perfect balance for the brain’s nutritional needs.

Fancy the wholesome approach.

Translation: Stick with whole grains. If your kids are stuck on the white bread plan, you might consider trying one of the new whole grain white breads that offers the taste and texture of white bread along with the good nutrition of whole grain bread. Ease them into eating whole grains by occasionally sneaking it into their meals and before you know it, they’ll be eating it all the time.

Brain builders

Your child’s brain is a powerful machine; it could easily be compared to a car. A car needs gasoline, oil and other materials to run properly. When gasoline is tainted with sugar or water, the car’s engine sputters and eventually stops running. The brain also needs the right fuel to run properly, and if the fuel is “tainted” or of low quality, the brain too will have difficulty functioning. Choose to give your child brain-building food, so his or her brain can function like the remarkable organ that it is. Think about it!