Definitely. Many studies have been conducted on this topic, and two studies done in Guatemala and Cali, Colombia, demonstrate that poor nutrition can negatively affect an infant's brain development and I.Q.
For instance, the study done in Guatemala, as quoted by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D., studied babies in four different villages. In two of the villages, babies and young children up to age seven were given a nutrient-rich drink supplement. In two other villages, similar-aged children were given a drink supplement lower in vitamins and minerals. All the children were the nutrient drinks twice daily.
The study reached two pertinent conclusions:
1. In all the villages, small babies with low intrauterine growth rates showed slower growth, had lower verbal scores, and many performed worse on memory tests.
2. The small babies who received the nutrient-rich drink supplement had reversed most of these effects by the time they reached adolescence. These children had excellent cognitive function as well as strong information processing abilities.
Overall, the researchers concluded:
Children fed excellent nutrition early on, even those with low birth-weights and other possible disadvantages, can overcome brain development issues that include verbal skills, memory, and cognition.
How Do You Boost Your Baby's Brain with Nutrition?
Good question. Researchers have narrowed down the list of vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals that are more important to brain development at an early age. These include:
- folate
- vitamin B12
- thiamine
- riboflavin
- panthothenic acid
- biotin
- ascorbate
- vitamin A
- carotenoids
- vitamins D, E, and K
That might sound like a lot of alphabet soup, so let's see if we can translate that into actual foods that you can feed your kids. Foods that contain many of the above mentioned vitamins and minerals include:
- whole grains
- berries
- lean meats like salmon and chicken
- leafy greens
- beans and peas
- fortified cereals
If you're not sure whether your child's brain nutritional needs are being met, one of the best supplements you can feed is blue-green algae. According to Dr. Jeffrey Bruno, "at least six studies have demonstrated the benefits of AFA algae (aphanizomenon flos-aqua) on improving children's cognition, mood, behaviors, and academic performance."
Just in case you think your kid might be trading the "healthy brain food" lunch you packed for him for a couple of Twinkies at school, supplementing his diet with a couple capsules of high-quality freeze-dried AFA algae will make sure his nutritional needs are covered!
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