effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence
When many parents decide to have a child or have a small child, they want to know how much the effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence is, and for example, is it necessary for the mother to eat certain foods during pregnancy, or what foods to eat for It is more suitable for children and can help them become smarter.
The point that needs to be pointed out in this introduction is that part of children’s intelligence is hereditary and is passed from parent to child through genetics, but part of it is also directly related to the nutrition that the mother receives during pregnancy. used or fed to the child during childhood. Therefore, it is better for parents to consider a complete meal plan in different meals for their child. In this article, we are trying to deal more with this issue and provide you with information about the role of nutrition in increasing children’s intelligence and introduce some categories of these foods.
What is the relationship between children’s nutrition and intelligence?
It is necessary to know that nutrition can affect a child’s intelligence when the time for the growth and development of his brain has not passed. Accordingly, the best time to pay attention to the nutrition of mother and fetus is during pregnancy. The foods that the mother consumes during pregnancy and also during breastfeeding are very effective in this because the child’s brain develops until the age of two years. It should be noted that the child’s intelligence will continue to improve after this time. Nutrition can also play a role in determining the baby’s gender to some extent.
But this time will have the greatest impact on the child’s intelligence, because after going through the development process of the nervous system, this impact will be somewhat less, and people of different ages can improve long-term or short-term memory by eating foods at an older age. Their duration should be strengthened. Finally, it is better for parents to include a variety of foods in their child’s diet and maintain a balance in this regard. Another important point that parents need to pay attention to is considering proper nutrition for children from all food groups. We will discuss this issue further.
Investigating the types of food that enhance children’s intelligence
If you think about the issue of making a child smart with food, you need to know that the child needs to eat the necessary amount from all food groups daily. Among the ingredients needed as food to enhance a child’s intelligence, we can mention the category of proteins, energy-generating substances, fatty acids, as well as iron and zinc, etc. Absorption of iron from food
proteins:
The effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence is so great that experts in this field have considered a special category for it. So that proteins are part of this category. As you know, proteins are essential for the formation of neurotransmitters because they allow brain cells to communicate with each other. Foods such as eggs, meat and legumes are a complete source of proteins.
Energetic foods:
This group of substances has a great effect on the child’s intelligence with food. Because it can be said for sure that children whose growth is delayed and do not have high mental ability is because their body has not received enough calories and carbohydrates. Because children, like adults, need to consume caloric foods to fuel their bodies and perform brain activities. That’s why doctors and child nutritionists recommend that parents measure their child’s weight and height once in a while and be sensitive about this.
Fatty acids:
Fatty acids are other substances that are essential for children’s nutrition and intelligence, and help to increase children’s growth and brain ability. Omega 3 is one of the good fatty acids. If you include foods such as walnuts, types of fish and olive oil in your child’s food basket, you will greatly help them become smarter.
Iron:
We said that the effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence cannot be ignored and one of the substances needed by children is iron, which must be consumed by the mother during pregnancy or fed to the baby when it is between 6 and 24 months old. Iron can be added in the form of drops or oral syrups and by using iron-containing foods in the list of foods used by the child. It should be noted that by consuming meat, beans and eggs, the iron needed by the child can be provided.
on:
Zinc is also one of the minerals found in food, the lack of which in the daily food basket can reduce the physical growth and brain ability of the child. To deliver this substance to the child’s body, you can use all kinds of seafood, meat, and all kinds of nuts and seeds.
Iodine:
One of the substances whose lack or absence can have a serious effect on the child’s brain is iodine. This mineral plays a big role in the production of thyroid hormones and helps the body’s metabolism to be carried out properly. Now, if this substance is low in the child’s body, it can cause retardation. For this reason, it is necessary for mothers to use enough iodine during pregnancy so that the child’s nervous system develops fully. A variety of fish and seafood, as well as refined salt, are a good source of iodine.
Vitamin A:
Among the foods that enhance a child’s intelligence, we can mention citrus fruits and yellow fruits in general, such as carrots, which, in addition to increasing the child’s intelligence, help to strengthen his immune system.
Lanium:
To make the child smart with food, you can consider foods such as liver, fish, shrimp, wheat bran, and walnuts, which are rich in selenium. Because this category of foods can help increase the ability of the brain.
Colin:
So far, we have tried to introduce a variety of foods that have a significant effect on increasing children’s intelligence by dealing with the issue of the effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence. Another food that needs to be mentioned is choline, which is included in the B vitamin group. The importance of this food is that its deficiency during pregnancy or infancy. . It causes the child’s memory capacity to be very low. In order for choline to reach the child’s body sufficiently, it is necessary to include various food sources such as broccoli, milk, eggs, calf liver, wheat germ, bananas, salmon and white fish, wheat bran, lentils and soybeans in their daily food basket.