To respect children's rights, the Indonesian government has designated July 23 as National Children's Day. Not only important for children, National Children's Day is also important for parents. On this anniversary, we are reminded again that children are the next generation of the nation. If we want our nation to continue to experience growth and development, we must also guarantee the growth and development of our children. A smart nation starts from parents who are smart in maintaining the growth and development of children as the next generation.
One of the ways to ensure the growth and development of children is to ensure adequate daily nutritional intake for children. One of the factors that affect a child's intelligence is the food he consumes. In order to be able to provide food with balanced nutrition for the baby, let's find out the types of food that are useful for nourishing the child's brain.
Egg
Besides being rich in protein, eggs contain choline. Choline is a substance that is useful for helping the development of your child's memory. One large egg contains 126 mg of choline. This amount is more than the amount of choline found in two tablespoons of peanut butter and 300 grams of beef, each of which contains 20 mg and 55 mg of choline.
Not only nutritious for children's brain intelligence, eggs also have a delicious taste and are easy to process into dishes. You can serve simple menus such as omelettes and omelettes to use them as ingredients in making bread and cakes. Regardless of how it's served, make sure you've cooked the eggs thoroughly so the bacteria in them don't cause disease.
Nuts
Each type of nuts has its own nutritional content for the intelligence of children and toddlers. One type of legume that has very complete nutrition for children's intelligence is green beans. Apart from being known as a food that is high in folic acid, green beans also contain other nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, zinc, protein, and magnesium. The content is very important for the growth and development of the body as well as for the child's brain.
Types of nuts that are no less nutritious are red beans. Red beans contain omega 3 fatty acids which can support your child's brain development. Give your child a breakfast containing red beans in the morning to help him think well throughout the day. As a recommendation, you can process red beans into red bean soup or red bean porridge as a delicious and nutritious breakfast menu.
Processed nuts, such as jam, are also rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. Antioxidants are useful for protecting the brain from free radicals. These antioxidants are found in peanut butter made from macadamia and almonds. However, you need to be careful in choosing healthy peanut butter. Choose peanut butter that is low in sugar and sodium.
Fish
Other healthy foods that are useful for fulfilling children's brain nutrition are fish. Several types of fish are known to contain fatty acids that are good for the brain. Salmon is one type of fish that has the best source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids in salmon are useful for supporting cognitive development and sharpening the memory of children and adults. In one day, children need as much as 1.2 grams of omega 3 intake. Meanwhile, 100 grams of salmon contains 2.2 grams of omega 3 fatty acids. This amount is sufficient, even more than the amount needed by the child's body.
Milk and Yogurt
Milk and yogurt contain B vitamins and vitamin D. Both are important for the growth of brain tissue and neurotransmitters . Not only that, vitamin D is also useful for maintaining the life cycle of body cells as well as nerve and muscle function.
Milk and yogurt also contain protein and carbohydrates. Both of these nutrients can be a source of energy for the child's brain. For that, make sure your child drinks milk or consumes yogurt every day.
Lean Beef
The iron found in beef helps children stay energized and concentrate. Besides being rich in iron, beef also helps the body absorb iron from other food ingredients. In 100 grams of beef there are 4.05 grams of iron. This amount is sufficient to meet the child's daily iron needs, which is as much as 3-10 mg per day.
Those are five types of healthy and nutrient-rich foods that can help develop your baby's brain. As parents, let's make sure that children's nutritional intake is always sufficient to support their daily activities. #LiveExcellently