It’s that time of year again. Back to school. Your kids will be back in class for 8 hours a day leaving you with some well-deserved, you-time. But before sending them off, have you prepared them? All day your kids will be absorbing information and interacting socially in a high stimuli environment. You should ask yourself, did they sleep enough? Did they eat well?
It is actually very common for American kids to get enough calories, but lack in essential nutrients. About 85% of Americans don’t eat the amount the US FDA recommended daily intakes of nutrients that are essential for physical and mental development. Children who are undernourished are likely to develop illnesses and under-perform in school. This has become a hot topic for first-world nations. The patterns of diet lead to poor nutrition who have food available, but not the nutritionally-valuable foods needed.
So, what can you do? Purchase products that have the most nutritional value. Your child will be at school all day, so the right amount of sleep and nutrition, will ensure their success. Here, we compiled a list of foods and reasons why that will help get your kids jumping out of bed every morning, with a great attitude and a leg-up on their peers.
1. Mango:
Mangoes are high in vitamin B6, which is extremely vital for maintaining and improving the brain’s function. Vitamin B6 is what aids in determining your child’s mood and his or her sleep pattern.
This delicious fruit is also rich in, beta-carotene, a carotenoid which boosts the immune system against bacteria and toxins. What’s great about beta-carotene is whatever your body doesn’t use up, it turns into vitamin A, which is a great antioxidant!
Speaking of antioxidants, the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer has linked together the consumption of Mangoes and lowered risk of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Coconut:
If your kids are having trouble getting out of bed and staying awake in the morning, try giving them some coconut. For a fruit, coconuts have a high amount of iron. Iron is what helps keep the blood flowing throughout your muscles, giving you a healthy boost of energy.
The coconut contains healthy fats that fight against illnesses. Caprylic, capric, and lauric fatty acids located in the coconut are antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoal.
3. Guava:
Guava contains high amounts of vitamin B3 and vitamin B6. These are great for both stimulating the cognitive function and also keeping the brain and nerves maintained by enhancing concentration and relaxing the nerves.
It also contains magnesium, which helps absorb nutrients from other foods eaten. This is great because much of the nutrients in the food we eat, we don’t efficiently absorb.
Magnesium also helps with the health and growth of bones. Although calcium is known as the poster child for healthy bones, without magnesium, calcium would not be able to do its job properly. It helps incorporate the calcium minerals into the bones, which calcium does not do on its own. Magnesium is what converts the calcium into the usable form that your bones need.
4. Lychee:
This interesting fruit from Asia has more than 100% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C. This means your child’s immune system will be super charged and ready to fight off anything that comes at it! Lychee also contains a compound called litchitannin A2, which has been closely connected to preventing the spread of viruses.
5. Salmon:
Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which increases your child’s brain efficiency. This improves the memory, enhance academic performance, and increases the energy to stay awake throughout the day. Salmon is also great for growing children, as it helps to prevent ADHD.
Ever wonder why salmon is pink? The color comes from astaxanthin, a carotenoid that helps prevent cardiovascular, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases.
6. Tuna:
This common but delicious fish offers health, energy, cognitive, and growth benefits! The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna stimulates a hormone, leptin, that is crucial to maintaining a healthy metabolism. The omega-3 also helps the flow of healthy blood cells full of oxygen to arrive in the brain which improves cognitive skills
When your child is at school, he or she needs to have the energy to learn, study, and interact with other kids. Tuna is high in Vitamin B, which builds and maintains red blood cells. This gives your child a healthy boost in energy to fulfill his needs. Lastly, tuna is loaded with protein and Vitamin D. These two essential nutrients help build muscles and strong bones!
7. Sardine:
Sardines, which are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, gives all the benefits mentioned above. Also, they are naturally fatty and oily (the good kind) which is considered “brain food”. This makes sense since the brain is 60% made of fat. Your child should be ready to study after a pack of these! Research has shown that the sardine oil also promotes a healthy immune system to fight off those nasty bugs at school.
Sardines are extremely high in calcium. One can contains 1/3 of the daily requirement for calcium! This means your child will have strong and healthy bones, perfect for growing tall.
It is a great idea to incorporate lots of fruits, vegetables, and seafood into your child’s diet. We only highlighted a few that had notable benefits to them. This does not mean these are the only foods they should eat, but are worth considering. If this list helped you, please be sure to subscribe to our newsletter below for updates, discounts, and more!
