Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Super Snacks to Boost Your Kids Brain

As my DS gets back from school, the first thing he does after tossing his backpack - a snack. Same is the story for every child I know. Schools often schedule the around 11- 11:30 and the kids doesn't get out until 2. At times the after-school activities also fire up the hunger monster.

Definitely no one wants their child to dig into unhealthy junk. This means you need to provide them with some snacks that will boost their brain power as well as give them that extra energy kick. So you must be wondering what to serve? Why don't you try some of these "Super Snacks" that have shown to improve concentration and memory:

Chocolate
Lets begin with the one that children love. Chocolate especially, dark chocolate is best for your child - definitely IN MODERATION. That indicates that you should treat your child, to a small square of dark chocolate each day. If you are extremely bothered can serve some nuts with chocolate chips.

Fruit
This one is my DS's favorite. Fruits are rich in glucose, and is brain's preferred fuel. But do not substitute fruits with cookies and candy. They are simple sugars which results in a quick spike and an equally fast crash.

Whole Grain Foods
Whole grains tare rich in vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid. They also provide soluble fiber, that allows for a slow release of the carbohydrates into the system. The best option is a bowl of  whole-grain cereal and milk, or whole wheat chapati with milk. Popcorn is also a good alternative.
 

Beans
This is my personal favorite, I literally grew up on this. A bowl of mixed boiled beans with salt and pepper makes an excellent snack. You can also wrap it up inside a whole wheat chapati remember to add a dash of lime for that extra kick.

Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats, as well as vitamins. A handful gives you your daily requirement of zinc, and vitamin E. A healthy mixture of nuts, seeds, dry fruit and chocolate chips can prove to be an excellent super snack.

1 comment:

  1. my 2 kids like cheese sandwich with lots of veggies or chicken sometimes on wholewheat bread which i feel is a full nutrional meal in a hurry....

    Abhilasha Pratap
    (From the FB page)

    ReplyDelete