Nourishing your Cognition

A good nourishing diet is essential for the healthy cognitive development of children. Some nutrients are specifically important during early childhood when the brain is growing and forming interconnections. However, since the process of neuroplasticity and the building of new neuronal networks take place throughout the entire human life, it is crucial to keep feeding our brains with “building blocks” and energy. This is especially vital when going through learning processes! In fact, the brain is a very hungry organ in our body and requires plenty of good micronutrients for optimal functioning.

Let’s take a look at a few essential elements that have been shown by research to be impactful on cognitive function.

Iron is essential to many processes of brain development.¹ Young children and adolescents require high iron supply due to their rapid growth. This is particularly true for adolescent girls due to menstrual losses.² There is increasing evidence that low iron status negatively impacts physiological and cognitive functions due to reduced haemoglobin synthesis and decreased activity of iron-containing enzymes in the brain.³ Iron is an important mineral that must be consumed regularly as our body cannot produce it on its own. Fortunately, there are plenty of good food options to help our children meet their daily iron needs. For example, shellfish, spinach, red and organ meats, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, broccoli, tofu, fish and dark chocolate. Although among these options many are of the vegetable variety, it is important to remember that our body absorbs the most iron from animal sources (heme form). Interestingly vitamin C helps Iron absorption. It is, therefore, advisable to accompany iron-containing products with sour products like sauerkraut, kimchi or simply squeeze a bit of lemon juice into your food.

Zinc is a key modulator of intercellular neuronal signalling and is found in high levels in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus, considered as the area involved in learning and memory, and neocortex, which is responsible for cognitive functions such as language and decision-making.⁴ According to research, a deficiency of zinc leads to reduced mental capacity and poor cognitive performance. Zinc is commonly found in a whole range of food such as meat, shellfish, legumes (lentils, chickpea), seeds, nuts, dairy, eggs, certain vegetables (kale, sweet potato), and dark chocolate.

Vitamin B12 is also essential for brain development, neural myelination, synaptogenesis, and cognitive function. Vitamin B-12 deficiency has been implicated in increased numbers and degrees of severity of neurodevelopmental disorders.⁵

Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal products, especially meat and dairy products. That is why it is very easy to become deficient of this micronutrient, especially if you are following a vegan diet. The best food for B12 are organ meats, clams, fish, dairy, eggs, and nutritional yeast. It has been shown that Vitamin B12 is also synthesised by microorganisms in our gut, meaning that a healthy microbiome can be an important contributor to our internal supply of this essential micronutrient.

Essential fatty acids play a central functional role in brain tissue. They are important components of neuronal membranes and precursors for active mediators that play a key role in inflammation and immune reaction. They promote neuronal signal processing, and neural transmission and support cognitive processes. Recent research has also shown that people with high levels of fatty acids in their diets have sharper minds and perform better at mental skills tests.

There are three main types of Omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Plant sources, such as nuts and seeds, are rich in ALA, while fish, seaweed, and algae can provide DHA and EPA fatty acids. Research shows that DHA and EPA fatty acids are more important for brain function.

Choline is important in the development of the nervous system, in the formation of neurotransmitters, memory development and in the neurobiology of cognition.⁹ Egg yolks as well as organ meat, fish, Shiitake mushrooms, chicken, almonds and certain cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and Brussel sprouts are packed with choline.

Iodine plays an important role in neurodevelopment and numerous neurological processes including neuronal cell differentiation, maturation and migration, myelination, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity.⁸ Iodine is a trace mineral that can be found in seafood, seaweed, fish, eggs, and liver.

Hydration should not be forgotten! The human brain consists of 75% water and, of course, water is essential for all processes in our body and brain, including cognitive function. A child needs to consume at least 1-1,5 L of clean water between meals during the day. This is a habit that takes time to build but is absolutely essential for mental health.

Therefore, many important nutrients come from meat, fish, eggs, and a variety of vegetables. Because children often develop picky eating and consequently have a limited range of food in their diet, they are at great risk of developing deficiencies of important molecules for their cognition. It is so important to revise what your child is eating and assess the diversity and quality of products. In case your child is a fussy eater, it could be worth considering introducing some supplements into their diet as well. You can check if your child requires additional micronutrients by completing a short questionnaire here: https://dririnaschurov.com/questionnaire/

If you have any questions about how you can meet the above recommendations, how to deal with picky eating, what supplements your child may require and so on, please, book a free discovery call with me: https://calendly.com/irina-8/30min

Healthy wishes,
Dr. Irina Schurov

References:

¹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32635675/
²https://www.karger.com/article/fulltext/334490
³https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18683028/
⁴https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201560/
⁵https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21610500/
⁶https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/7/5/879/4616722
⁷https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/
⁸https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607807/
⁹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3723412/

Let’s take a look at a few essential elements that have been shown by research to be impactful on cognitive function.

Fortunately, there are plenty of good food options to help our children meet their daily iron needs. For example, shellfish, spinach, red and organ meats, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, broccoli, tofu, fish and dark chocolate.

Although among these options many are of the vegetable variety, it is important to remember that our body absorbs the most iron from animal sources (heme form). Interestingly vitamin C helps Iron absorption. It is, therefore, advisable to accompany iron-containing products with sour products like sauerkraut, kimchi or simply squeeze a bit of lemon juice into your food.

According to research, a deficiency of zinc leads to reduced mental capacity and poor cognitive performance. Zinc is commonly found in a whole range of food such as meat, shellfish, legumes (lentils, chickpea), seeds, nuts, dairy, eggs, certain vegetables (kale, sweet potato), and dark chocolate.

Choline is important in the development of the nervous system, in the formation of neurotransmitters, memory development and in the neurobiology of cognition.⁹Egg yolks as well as organ meat, fish, Shiitake mushrooms, chicken, almonds and certain cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and Brussel sprouts are packed with choline.

Iodine plays an important role in neurodevelopment and numerous neurological processes including neuronal cell differentiation, maturation and migration, myelination, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity.⁸Iodine is a trace mineral that can be found in seafood, seaweed, fish, eggs, and liver.