Share This Article
If you’re a parent, then you probably already know the impact of a sugary drink or treat on your little one’s behaviour. Within a matter of minutes, your relatively well-behaved angel is bouncing off the furniture, tantruming or getting up to untold mischief. Even without scientific investigation, it is clear that food can impact a child’s behaviour, sometimes dramatically.
Paediatric nutritionist and co-developer of the new UCOOK range of frozen kids food, Kath Megaw says that to date, there is no clear scientific evidence that undesirable behaviour is caused by nutritional problems in children, but she agrees that certain foods may play at least some role in affecting symptoms in children.
So can what your child eats, help with their attention span, focus in the classroom or general hyperactivity? Megaw says that behavioural diets haven’t yet been put through intense research. “Data in this realm is limited and the results presented are mixed. Many health experts are of the opinion, however,that what your child eats and drinks may play a role in helping behavioural symptoms,” says Megaw.
She says that a behaviour-enhancing diet could help the brain function better and lessen symptoms associated with bad behaviour, such as restlessness or lack of focus. Additionally, she says that certain food groups definitely work to improve bodily functions and thereby produce a more contented, happier child:
- Protein: Beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts are good sources of protein. Eating these kinds of foods in the morning and as after-school snacks can help improve concentration.
- Complex carbohydrates: Load up on vegetables and some fruits, including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi. Serve this type of food in the evening and it may aid better sleeping patterns for your child.
- Vitamin B: A wonderful neuro vitamin and shown in numerous studies to enhance concentration and brain function. It is wonderful at producing Neuro pathways that assist with learning and memory.
In addition, Megaw suggests avoiding the following:
- Simple carbohydrates: Cut down on candy, corn syrup, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
- Foods containing preservatives & food colouring: the American Academy of Pediatrics now agrees that eliminating preservatives and food colourings from the diet is a reasonable option for improving behaviour. Some experts recommend that kids with behavioural issues completely avoid these substances:
- Artificial colours, especially red and yellow
- Food additives such as aspartame, MSG (monosodium glutamate), and nitrites.
No-Nonsense Goodness is the promise to parents on Megaw’s new range with UCOOK and she says that kids will get the benefits of nutritious ingredients crucial for development without compromising on the flavour they love. The UCOOK range has no added preservatives, sugars, sweeteners, artificial colourants or flavours and no added MSG. Each meal has a specially crafted blend of hidden vegetables, with some meals consisting of up to 74% fruits and vegetables. In addition, each meal has an added bespoke Vitamin B pre-mix to boost the vitamin content. For more visit https://www.ucook.co.za/craft-kids