AS children return to school over the next few weeks, a lot will be asked of their focus, energy, and brain power. Via a brain-boosting lifestyle and foods, parents can support their child as the new school year starts.
Hydration is a key factor, says Rachel Kumar, a dietitian working with Dublin Nutrition Centre ( dnc.ie). “Water is critical for brain function, due to the brain being largely composed of water.
Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, low energy levels, and changes in mood and mental status, which is especially important for children who are expected to concentrate all day at school.”
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that children aged nine to 11 who were insufficiently hydrated had lower working memory scores than those who were hydrated.
“How much water children should drink depends on a number of factors — age, stature, participation in exercise and weather — but a general rule is four to six glasses daily or 1-1.7 litres.”
Kumar also highlights sleep and its effect on learning and behaviour.
“A study published in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health in 2022 concluded that inadequate sleep — less than nine hours in the six-to-12-year-old population — was linked to difficulties with memory, problem-solving, and decision-making. Children who had insufficient sleep had smaller volume in certain areas of the brain responsible for cognitive functions, such as attention, memory.”
Children in this age group should get nine to 12 hours’ sleep nightly.
Other brain-powering lifestyle habits are exercise — physical activity increases oxygen to the brain, which is critical for attention and learning — and being mindful of timing and frequency of meals.
“Regular meals — three a day, as well as one to two snacks during the day — are recommended to provide fuel to the brain and body,” says Kumar.
A study earlier this year by children’s multi-vitamin range Vivio Junior — conducted among Leinster-based parents — found that 80% of parents try to ensure their children are eating a variety of healthy foods.
Yet only 20% reported that their child consumed five portions of fruit and veg a day. And more than one-third of parents also reported having ‘lunchbox anxiety’.
Here, we look at 10 brain-boosting foods to include in your child’s diet as they head back to the classroom.
Rachel Kumar, a dietitian working with Dublin Nutrition Centre
1. Fish — particularly oily fish (salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna, sardines, trout), contains essential fatty acids.
These pack a great brain-boosting punch, says clinical nutritionist Eva Hill Hamilton.
“They build the structure of the brain, improve cell function and neurotransmitter production, improve blood flow, and reduce overall inflammation. Children — and adults — are recommended to have fish three to four times a week.”
For extra essential fatty acids, she suggests giving children one-quarter of an avocado and a tablespoon of nuts and seeds daily. “Some schools don’t allow nuts, but seeds are safe,” she says.
Tempt children with fish fingers, fish cakes, or fish burgers.
2. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, and white fish is a very rich source of this essential mineral, too.
“Zinc is super-important for cognitive development, but also for appetite and normal taste development,” says Hill Hamilton, adding that a deficiency in zinc leads to fussy eating. “Studies have shown that when it’s supplemented, appetite increases.”
Zinc is also important, she says, for neurotransmitter production and the structural development of the brain. “Attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and reduced academic performance are linked to zinc deficiency.”
Get children eating zinc-rich foods by lightly toasting pumpkin seeds, using them as a garnish in salads, or sprinkling them in soups and cereals. Make a mild, white fish curry, using monkfish, whiting, or haddock.
3. Dark berries are rich in anthocyanin, which studies have found increases blood flow to the brain and improves short-and long-term memory and mental performance, says Hill Hamilton.
Anthocyanin is in fruits with a purple-red colour pigment: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and cranberries.
Blueberries, for example — which are rich in polyphenols — may be ‘ beneficial to cognitive performance and mood’
Children often enjoy berry smoothies or frozen berry yoghurt bites.
4. Raw cacao powder or dark chocolate powder has a positive effect on several cognitive outcomes.
Cacao is rich in flavonoids and good for all ages, says Hill Hamilton.
“It improves blood flow to the brain, reduces mental fatigue, and helps with concentration, memory and reaction time.”
For children, she recommends making hot chocolate with cacao powder from a health-food shop and adding some local honey. You could also blend cacao powder into porridge.
5. Beetroot — some research has shown that consuming beetroot frequently can lead to better concentration, which may be reflected in schoolwork performance.
“It has a lot of different nutrients that help with blood flow to the brain,” says Hill Hamilton, citing trimethylglycine and B vitamins, which have been shown to improve mental function.
“Sports people also use it, because it helps with muscle performance,” she adds.
She suggests grating cooked beetroot and mixing it into a beetroot brownie recipe with cacao powder or dark chocolate.
Clinical nutritionist Eva Hill Hamilton.
6. Eggs — the white is very rich in protein, says Hill Hamilton.
“Protein is very important for blood-sugar balance. When blood sugar drops, you get ‘hangriness’, mood swings and lack of attention. Protein in eggs is really good for that blood sugar dip.”
Meanwhile, egg yolk contains fat-soluble nutrients like lecithin, and is rich in choline, B12, and selenium. “These are all very important for the structure and function of the nerve cells.”
Hill Hamilton describes eggs as “the perfect breakfast”, pointing to research that found children who ate eggs had higher short-term memory and attention scores.
She says children might like a scrambled egg wrap or sandwich with scallions for their school lunchbox. “Scrambled eggs are less smelly than boiled eggs in a sandwich.”
7. Red meat for its iron content — recommended red meat intake for children is three times weekly, says Kumar.
“Iron helps red bloods cells carry oxygen through the body and support a child’s ability to learn,” Kumar says.
“Low iron status can negatively affect cognitive development and academic performance in children. They get tired very easily. Concentration and mood are affected.” Kumar points to other iron-rich foods: nuts, beans, pulses, green veg and bread.
For fussy eaters, she recommends iron-fortified breakfast cereals as a convenient way of getting more iron into their diet.
“When choosing a breakfast cereal, you ideally want to aim for those with less than 5g/100g of sugar, and for fibre anything with at least 3g/100g is considered a good source.”
And by adding milk or yoghurt, fruit toppings, milled seeds, or nut butters, Kumar says you can create a really well-balanced meal, so that children can start the school day with better focus and energy.
8. Wholegrains in cereals, bread, wraps, crackers, pasta, and rice.
“Carbohydrates are the brain’s preferred energy source. The brain uses up to 6g of glucose every hour,” says Kumar.
She recommends wholegrain versions of carbohydrate foods, explaining that these provide vital energy to fuel the brain — they are also a useful source of B vitamins, essential for supporting the nervous system.
Change it up a bit for children — serve whole wheat sandwiches, make pizza with a wholegrain crust. Add barley to soups and stews, use brown rice in a favourite stir-fry.
9. Dairy foods, such as milk and yoghurt, are rich in iodine.
Essential for thyroid hormone production, iodine also helps regulate healthy brain function and cognitive development in children, says Kumar.
“ Iodine-supplementation trials in school-aged children have provided promising results in improvement of some cognitive tests, such as information-processing and visual problem-solving.”
Iodine is also found in fish, eggs and seaweed.
10. Plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses.
Eating a wide range ensures children have plenty of dietary fibre.
“We know fibre is important for gut health, but it also seems to regulate our blood sugar, which helps a child’s mood and attention.
When we think of dietary fibre, we think of colour,” says Kumar.
“Ensure children have colour at every meal: include fruit, vegetables, salad.”
