A healthy diet is important for brain development
Story sponsored by Hunter Primary Care.
Getting children to eat a healthy balanced diet, as many of us know, can be a challenge at the best of times. Now that school has returned, many parents are wondering how best to feed our kids so they are at their best during the school day.
The good news is that what we feed our kids can help with mood and memory! The correlation between mood and food is only now emerging, however since children consume approximately 30 percent of their daily food intake at school, packing the lunchbox with mood-boosting foods is actually easier than you think.
Kate Wood, Hunter Primary Care Dietitian and Care Coordinator and a mum of two young daughters, understands this importance.
"Ninety percent of the happy hormone serotonin is made in our guts, which has a major role in mood and memory," she said.
"To help boost memory and mood, include foods that are precursors to this happy hormone. Pack snacks like a small tub of yoghurt or team cottage cheese and hummus with dippers like crackers and carrot sticks," she continued.
"Include proteins such as fish, eggs, meat, poultry, cheese, tofu or legumes, and team with fibre-rich wholegrains. This could be BBQ chicken on a grain wrap or team canned tuna or baked beans with crackers. Sandwich fillings might be egg and lettuce on grain bread or team avocado with tomato and cheese. Homemade potato or pasta salad work well - cooked and cooled potato and pasta contain resistant starch that also promotes the production of mood-stabilising serotonin."
Fibre-rich foods like fresh fruits and vegetables also play a major role in boosting mood and fighting depression.
"Be sure to pack a piece of fruit alongside some veggies such as cucumber, carrot or tomatoes," Ms Wood said.
"Nut consumption is also linked to improvements in memory, mood and learning. As some schools are nut free, and providing a child does not have an allergy to nuts, after school snacks such as a peanut butter sandwich or nut spread on toast will boost fibre and protein intake and can sustain most children until dinner time."
Story sponsored by Hunter Primary Care.
