Foods that boost brain development in children
It has been well documented that nutrition in the first 1000 days is crucial for your baby’s cognitive and social development. The first 1000 days refers the time a woman is pregnant and the first two years of that child’s life. This period is the greatest developmental period of a child’s life which is strongly influenced by their nutritional intake. Many diseases are thought to be influenced by how well a child is nourished during this time. While we often focus on eating the right foods when we are pregnant and breastfeeding, it is easy to lose this focus when our babies are small. Sometimes the worry of getting babies to eat nutritious food can take the focus away from the key foods your children need for optimal brain development. There are a number of key nutrients small children need in their diet.
What are the key nutrients for brain development?
For the first twelve months of life, breastmilk is the primary source of nutrition for your baby. From around six months, they will commence solids and this is a wonderful opportunity to explore different foods, particularly iron rich foods. If your baby is not breastfed or partially breastfed, infant formula products must meet regulatory guidelines to meet the nutritional requirements of an infant. In this time, it is also important to consider foods that contain all the nutrients specific to promoting good brain development. These include:
- Iron
- Omega 3 DHA
- Iodine
- Zinc
- Choline
- Lutein
Below is a summary of these important nutrients and the foods you can include in your baby’s diet from around 6 months of age.
| Key Nutrients | Function | Foods | Recipes |
| Omega 3 | Omega-3 fatty acids are also called polyunsaturated fatty acids. Most of the research on the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids is on three types: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega 3 fatty acids are important for: - Brain health, cognitive function
- Eye health
- Memory, learning and behaviour
| Our body can make some amounts of EPA and DHA from ALA but in very small amounts. Therefore, it is important to consume Omega 3 in the diet. Sources of omega 3 include:- Oily fish – salmon, sardines, tuna, trout
- Walnuts
- Chia seeds
- Seaweed
- Soy linseed breads
Salmon should be consumed two to three times each week to get the idea amount of fats into your child’s diet. If you are finding it hard to get Omega 3 into your child’s meals regularly, you can look to offering them a supplement every few days. | Salmon Balls Salmon Quiche |
| Zinc | Zinc is required for brain function. A Zinc deficiency may affect cognitive development by alterations in attention, activity, neuropsychological behaviour and motor development. In Australia our intake of zinc is relatively low. | Zinc can be obtained from a variety of foods and ideally one zinc rich food should be consumed each day. These include:- Red Meat
- Chickpeas and lentils
- Pork
- Tofu
- Oatmeal
| Baby Bircher Kid’s Bolognese – add lentils too as well, which will boost not only the fibre but also the iron too! |
| Iodine | Mild iodine deficiency is relatively common in Australia due to our low iodine levels in the soil. Alarmingly, low iodine is linked to lower cognitive functioning in children — for this reason ensuring that we get enough iodine is not only crucial for our metabolic and mental | Iodine is another key nutrient that is not easy for little ones to get in their daily diets. Seaweed and iodised salt are the two major sources of iodine. Other foods with Iodine include:- Bread (made with Iodised salt in Australia)
- Dairy and eggs
- Some fruit and vegetables grown in iodine rich soil
| Kid’s Fried Rice |
| Iron | Iron is a key nutrient that contributes to foetal and neonatal brain development and is associated with critical cellular processes in the immature brain. | While an adequate iron intake is crucial for cognitive development in children, we know that a significant number of Aussie kids do not get enough iron due to poor red meat intake. There are other sources of iron which include:- Fortified infant cereal
- Eggs
- Spinach
- Red meat
- Legumes – lentils, chickpeas
- Pork
Always include a source of vitamin C (citrus, berries, capsicum, tomato) with these sources to enhance absorption | Cheesy Cutlets
Mini Egg Bites |
| Choline | Choline is an essential nutrient made in very small amounts in the body and is therefore required through the diet. It plays a very important role in brain development both in pregnancy and in the first few years of life. | Foods rich in Choline include:- Beef liver
- Chicken breast
- Eggs
- Shitake mushrooms
- Kidney beans
| Veggie Nuggets |
| Lutein | Lutein belongs to the same family as Vitamin A although is not classed as a vitamin. Lutein must be consumed through the diet and plays a crucial role in the development of eyes and also plays a role in cognitive function. | Plant foods rich in lutein include dark green leafy vegetables, peas, carrots, corn, citrus fruits, avocado and broccoli. Lutein is also present in egg yolks, the fat of animals whose diets include lutein-rich plants and in human breast milk | Chicken and vegetable soup |
Summary
There are several key nutrients to consider in the first few years of life. These nutrients all play a key role in the brain development of your baby and should be included into the diet from around 6 months of age, in addition to breastmilk. Whilst breastmilk remains the primary source of nutrition in the first year of life, variety is key, as this is a small window of opportunity for maximum developmental opportunity for your child.
Breastfeeding is best
The World Health Organisation recommends that breastfeeding is best for your baby such that breastfeeding will provide the best start to life nutritionally and will also bring other benefits to a mother and her baby. Having a balanced diet when breastfeeding is also important. Infant Formulas should only be used after you’ve sought advice from a doctor or health practitioner. A decision not to breastfeed can be difficult to reverse and introducing partial bottle feeding may reduce the supply of breast milk. It is also wise to consider the cost of infant formula. If you use infant formula, all preparation and feeding instructions must be followed as per the manufacturer’s instructions. This is important for your baby’s health.
Disclaimer: The content of this document is solely for educational purposes and should not be substituted for medical advice. You are solely responsible for forming your own opinions and conclusions on such matters and for making your own independent assessment of the information. Please consult your doctor if you are concerned about your baby’s health.
About the author
Marisa Nastasi is an Accredited Practising Dietitian for Bellamy’s Organic. She specialises in children's nutrition and has recently completed further studies in paediatric dietetics. She has worked in the industry for 8 years and has developed a strong working knowledge on how good quality diets can benefit the health of children so that they can develop to their full potential.
