16 foods for memory and concentration ideal for children

In general, but especially when the exam times In schools, as parents we may wonder if there is anything we can do to help children improve their memory and concentrate better.

To improve school performance, it is essential that children go to bed early and sleep as much as possible, play outside every day and wear a diet based on fresh and real foodssuch as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and nuts, no sugars or processed foods.

It has also been shown that there are good foods for memory. In exam times, we can include them more often in children’s and adolescents’ menus. Below you will find recipes that include several of these foodsto make it easier for you to put it into practice.

Bananas: Bananas are rich in several important nutrients for an active brain. prepare a snack for a student afternoon: Cut the banana in half, spread with peanut or almond butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and chocolate chips.Cocoa: Cocoa is loaded with nutrients, including flavonoids and other antioxidants. Flavonoids can increase memory, stimulate the nervous system, and enhance learning. In addition, cocoa can improve mood and relieve stress, which can be useful at exam time. Add cocoa powder to porridge, make pastries with at least 70% chocolate or cocoa powder, or sweeten naturally with bananas, dates, raw sugar, or maple syrup.Nuts: Walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds… nuts are rich in essential fatty acids and walnuts, in particular, are good for memory. Pumpkin seeds are a source of zinc, iron and magnesium, necessary for learning and a clear mind. Add some nuts every day in the form of whole seeds as a snack, or chop and sprinkle in yogurt, cereals, add them to hamburgers, include creams and butters in sandwiches, sauces or vegetable purees or add nuts in the form of flour to pastry dough and breads. You can also prepare vegetable pates with seeds and nuts.

Blueberries: Blueberries, along with other berries, contain compounds called anthocyanins. These natural pigments not only give them their pretty color, but research shows they improve memory and communication between cells in the brain. Offer half a cup of different forest fruits every day for breakfast, snack or dessert.Avocado: Avocados contain good quality fats that help vitamin absorption and also contain folic acid, which can increase mental capacity and improve memory. Try every day to add avocado to the little ones on toast, to make mousse with chocolate or smoothies. If we like it, you can try adding avocado to vegetable purees or sauces.Tomatoes: Studies show that lycopenes, the antioxidants found in tomatoes and other red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, persimmon, red cabbage, mango, papaya, pink grapefruit or watermelon can reduce oxidative stress that is harmful to the brain. . To take advantage of it, it is best to consume tomatoes cooked with olive oil.Spinach: Spinach, as well as other dark green leaves like kale or broccoli, contain many brain-boosting nutrients such as vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta-carotene. Add a handful every day to the diet of the little ones. Add the leaves to salads, sandwiches, stir-fries, legumes, burgers or croquettes. Make fillings for quesadillas or pizzas. If they struggle, try making smoothies with spinach and cocoa to hide the green color. Or try making pesto or other sauces.Eggs: Eggs are a source of several important brain nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, folates, and choline. Above all, choline is a type of neurotransmitter that is linked to better memory. It is important for learning processes and can improve cognitive development during childhood. Include eggs in the children’s diet at least three times a week.Whole grains: Brown rice, barley, bulgur, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta… are important to help children focus. It offers all carbohydrates such as bread, rice or pasta in its integral version and also includes grains such as quinoa, oats or buckwheat several times a week.Turmeric: Turmeric has become fashionable as a natural anti-inflammatory but it also has many benefits for the brain such as improving memory and concentration capacity and antioxidants can help increase the growth of neurons. Since its taste is a bit strong, it is not easy to add it to the diet of children. We can try including it in stews and stews such as lentils, pumpkin, carrot or sweet potato purées, prepare curries with coconut milk -which with its slightly sweet flavor will flavor its flavor- or try adding it to smoothies with sweet ingredients such as pumpkin.Apple: Compounds in whole apples (including the skin) promote the production of new cells in the brain, which can improve memory and the learning process. Offer a whole apple for dessert or snack every day.Cinnamon: Several studies show that cinnamon can stimulate the brain without exciting it, especially the memory areas. Sprinkle cinnamon over children’s cereal or yogurt.Broccoli, collard greens, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts: These types of vegetables contain many plant compounds, minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin K, which has been shown to be very beneficial in stimulating cognitive processes. Include 3 times a week a serving of cruciferous vegetables in different forms such as sauteed, pureed, baked, croquettes or hamburgers.Soy: Soybeans and their derivatives are a source of vegetable choline. And other nutrients like folates, zinc and magnesium, which are important for optimal brain function. Add tofu, tempeh, or edamame to the diet three times a week.Fermented vegetables, kefir and yogurt: Studies show that the microbiota can influence celebration function and mood. The ideal is one or two servings of some fermented food a day.Chickpeas: This legume is a superfood for the brain, since it is a source of magnesium, which speeds up the transmission of messages to the brain and allows more blood to reach it, which improves learning. Offer them to the little ones three times a week in different preparations.

Recipes for children to perform at school

1. Blueberry Chocolate Scones

Preparation: 10 minutes – Cooking: 25 minutes

For long afternoons when they have to study, prepare these scones with chocolate, almonds and blueberries for your children, to help them not only with their memory but also with their spirits. Scones are a typical dessert from the United Kingdom and Scotland. The texture is something between a cookie and a sponge cake and they are great with a cup of milk or vegetable drink.

Ingredients (8 servings):

1.5 cup of whole wheat flour half a cup of almond flour 2 teaspoons of baking yeast a pinch of salt 4 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil half a cup of coconut or panela sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 120 ml of vegetable drink 1 egg (or 1 tablespoon of flax ground)60 g of chocolate chips80 g of blueberries2 tablespoons of vegetable drink and 1 of sugar to sprinkle on top

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 190 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.If you are going to use the flax egg, In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 5 minutes.In a bowl, mix the flour, almond flour, salt and yeast. Add the cold butter or coconut oil cut into pieces and mix with your hands until you get a few crumbs. Add the sugar and cinnamon and mix well.In another bowl, mix the vegetable drink with the egg or flax egg and incorporate into the dough. Combine well, add the blueberries and chocolate and mix.Pour the dough on the tray and with your hands form a large cookie 2 cm thick and cut into 8 pieces as if it were a pizza. Place in the oven and bake 25 minutes.

2. Macaroni with cashew sauce and broccoli

Preparation: 15 minutes – Soaking: 4 hours – Cooking: 25 minutes

Turmeric can be a bit difficult to add to the diet of the little ones, but they will surely love this vegan cheese sauce. In the fall season, you can replace the broccoli with Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients (4 people):

320 g of whole wheat macaroni 2 tablespoons of oil or butter 300 g of smoked tofu 1 broccoli salt

For the cashew sauce:

1 cup cashews (150 g) 1 clove of garlic 3/4 cup of vegetable drink (175 ml) 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon onion powder a pinch of paprika 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon lemon juice salt

Preparation:

Before starting with the recipe, you have to soak cashews. Cover the cashews in a mug, cover with water and leave out of the fridge for about 4 hours.When cooking, Boil a large pot with water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the instructions.prepare the sauce. Drain the cashews and blend with the rest of the ingredients until you get a smooth sauce. Try the salt.Wash the broccoli well and cut into florets and each floret into 3 slices. Dice the tofu.Heat the oil add tofu and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add the broccoli, salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked but still tender.once cooked, drain the pasta and add to the pan along with the broccoli. Add the tofu, the sauce, mix well and serve.

3. Bulgur Salad with Baked Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Avocado

Preparation: 15 minutes – Cooking: 25 minutes

This salad full of colors and flavors is ideal to prepare during the batch cooking, since it holds well for 3-4 days in the fridge. If children don’t like cucumber, we can use another vegetable such as grated carrots or raw or steamed broccoli.

Ingredients (4 people):

1 cup of thick bulgur 2 cups of water or vegetable broth 400 g of cooked chickpeas 1 cucumber Half a cup of olives 1 handful of parsley Half a cup of toasted pistachios 1 avocado 200 g of tofu feta cheese (optional) Salt

For the tomatoes:

500 g of cherry tomatoes 2 cloves of garlic 2 tablespoons of olive oil salt

For the vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey zest of half a lemon salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.Wash the cherry tomatoes well and cut in half. She peels and minces the garlic. Drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper, mix with the garlic and bake 25 minutes.Prepare the bulgur. In a pot, combine the bulgur, water or broth, water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook until the water evaporates, about 14 minutes. Let stand another 10 minutes.peel and cut the cucumber in cubes. Chop the parsley. Open the avocado, remove the stone and cut into cubes. In a bowl, mix the chickpeas, bulgur, tomatoes,…