Elevate Your Brain's Retention Power By Eating These 7 Not So Yummy But Highly Nutritious Foods.

 

(Scene in School) 

Teacher : Roy's Mother, Roy is a very creative boy but when it comes to expressing the answers on the answer sheet during exams. He fails to give his best. Even in the lectures too He is not attentive. He misses out the important points and lacks continuity while writing and reading. 

Roy's Mother : Yes Teacher, Nowadays at home too he has started to forget things. Small small things he keeps somewhere and searches at another place. 

Teacher : Roy's Mother please include foods that are essential for good memory power. He brings Maggi Noodles Or Cream Biscuits in tiffin everyday. Please Include some other variety too. 

Roy's Mother : Yes teacher, I make every kind of food that is good for memory but just ignores having vegetables and nuts, he finds it boring. And brings the tiffin back home without eating. 

(Ponder on - Are we facing the same issue as Roy's Mother who is struggling for her child but still not getting appropriate results and eventually rushing for doctors to pop in some yummy pills, by forgetting the natural way of boosting memory in having natural foods available in nature. Mother nature has gifted us with plenty of different kinds of food necessary for good memory and brain development. The important and essential ones for children, I am listing here so that we don't miss out those in our daily diet) 

Eating habits of children have been a great concern for many parents of the 21st century. Early Exposure to yummy fast and junk foods since childhood has greatly impacted the healthy eating habits of a child since a very young age. Frequent absenteeism, incessant poor performance in studies, poor health and vigour etc. is the ultimate result of it. Though plenty of vegetables, pulses and nuts are available in different variants, which when consumed on a daily basis helps to increase our brain's retention power but many students do not choose it just because of the not so yummy factor. 

Students' brains require an appropriate amount of different kinds of nutrients like Protein, Zinc, Iron, Choline, Folate, Iodine, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Omega 3 - Fatty acids etc on a daily basis, which helps in improving memory power and retention capacity. Every parent should make an effort to introduce foods containing these nutrients in order to boost their children's brain. 

1. Crunchy Nuts 

Nuts could improve brain function, which is linked to cognition, repair, healing, learning and memory, according to researchers at Loma Linda University. Pistachios were the best nuts for improving cognitive processing and learning, the study claimed. It also found pistachios could help people retain information for longer. Peanuts also provide key vitamins and minerals to keep the brain healthy, including high levels of vitamin E and Resveratrol. Walnuts are the top nut for brain health. They have a significantly high concentration of DHA, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid.

2. Confusing Cabbage

Cabbage is a rich source of the essential nutrients needed by our body to stay strong and healthy. It contains Vitamins C, K, B6, and folate, among many others. Research shows that cabbage has impressive amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients that play a great role in protecting cardiovascular health, decreasing the risk of diabetes, and even preventing cancer. In addition to these health benefits, cabbage is also a very powerful brain food. It contains vital nutrients that boost mental performance and concentration. Moreover, cabbage helps protect the nerves against damage and degeneration. 

3. Flowery Cauliflower

Cauliflower provides a range of nutrients that may help reduce stress from free radicals, prevent constipation, defend against cancer, and boost memory. Cauliflower, similar to the shape of a brain, is a great source of choline, a B vitamin known for its key role in brain development. Choline may even diminish age-related memory loss, as well as decreasing the brain's vulnerability to toxins. This sharpens memory and learning. 

4. Slimy Spinach

Spinach and other leafy greens are jam-packed with good-for-your-brain nutrients, such as folate, iron, vitamins etc. Eating spinach is beneficial for your brain health because it is packed with antioxidants like vitamin A, lutein, and carotene. It prevents structural and functional damage to the brain cells. Eating  spinach is also thought to slow cognitive decline.

5. Better Bitter Gourd

Karela or bitter gourd is often ignored in regular diet. But this vegetable is full of healthy goodness. Bitter gourd is a powerhouse of various vital nutrients including iron, magnesium, potassium. A rich source of dietary fibre, bitter gourd contains twice the amounts of calcium available in spinach, broccoli. It in fact has twice the amounts of potassium than in a banana and is an amazing source of Vitamin C, Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B9. Bitter gourd is packed with vitamin C, that not only bolsters immunity, but also confers useful antioxidant effects, to shield the brain cells from oxidative stress and damage due to harmful free radicals. Moreover, the wealth of tannins, flavonoids in bitter gourd promote memory, intellect, concentration, thereby greatly elevating brain power. 

6. Dashing Beans

Beans pack a powerful punch of brain-friendly nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, fiber, antioxidants, and folate.  Folate in particular is essential for brain function; a deficiency can lead to neurological disorders, such as depression and cognitive impairment.  Beans are a slowly digested, nutrient-dense starch that provide the brain with its preferred fuel: glucose. Kidney and pinto beans are good choices as they contain more omega-3 fatty acids than other bean varieties, which are important for brain growth and function. 

7. Powerful Whole Grains & Legumes

Research suggests that consuming whole grain foods as part of an overall healthy diet positively impacts cognitive function. Whole grains, such as oats, barley, and quinoa are rich in many of the B vitamins that work to reduce inflammation of the brain, potentially preserving your memory. Eating healthy complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice, whole wheat bread and legumes every day helps to keep your mood stable and increases the serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin helps your brain to feel calm and reduces anxiety.

Confused with these foods, as it's a great battle for you to induce in your children's diet. Worry not, look at the options given below to add magic to your kids life. 

THE BETTER OPTIONS TO PRESENT BORING VEGETABLES AND NUTS IN YOUR KIDS DIET: 

1. Ladoos - Different kinds of powdered nuts mixed with honey or jaggery. 

2. Chutney - Cabbage, Cauliflower and Spinach can be blended in with peanuts and tomatoes and make yummy chutneys to be eaten with dosas, idli Or chapati. 

3. Stuffed Vegetable  - Bitter Gourd can be stuffed with some magic ingredients and shallow fry to make it juicy and finger licking. 

4. Deep frying - Children mostly like deep fried items. Beans are one such vegetable which can be fried like potato French fries and eaten with ketchup. 

5. Chaat -  Whole grain sprouts chaat are the better option when supplemented with some tangy flavor. 

6. Puri - Boiled vegetable puree like spinach can be rolled out as flat thin pancakes and deep fried. 

7. Fritters - Any kind of vegetables can be mixed with Gram flour (Besan) and fried in oil to make fritters 

Wasn't that interesting to know that these boring vegetables too can be converted to yummy tasty and Interesting foods with these quick and easy options. So, do not delay. Start including this in yours and your kids daily diet and see the magic it spreads all over the body from head to toe. As, 'HEALTH IS WEALTH'. 

Have A Joyful Eating!! 

HAPPY LEARNING!! 

By Shobha Joy Gaddam

(Academician & Educator)