Introduction
Food is fuel for thought, action, and life. Along with shelter and air, it is among humans' top three survival needs. Food is a primal need for sustaining life and is intertwined with emotions and memories.
It provides energy, ensures proper physiological functioning, and supplies essential nutrients without which humans would not exist or thrive. As food plays an important role in supporting human well-being, it is essential to appreciate its role in promoting mental health.
Food can impact mood, energy levels, and cognitive functioning. On a physiological level, healthy food stimulates the release of oxytocin and serotonin, automatically improving mood. And the best part is that humans can associate memories and emotions with food.
This can even trigger a happy journey into nostalgia for them. However, not all kinds of food do the trick. Earlier generations had fewer concerns regarding the quality of food compared to quantity and population issues.
However, the rising popularity and widespread availability of processed and junk food makes it difficult for children and families to make healthy and nutritious choices. Here’s a quick guide on foods that boost mood and fortify mental health in children.
Foods That Boost Mental Health In Kids
1. Bananas
Rich in vitamin B6, natural sugar, and prebiotic fiber, bananas help synthesize and regulate mood-enhancing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Also, its natural sugar level helps reduce irritability and cravings. Thanks to bananas’ prebiotic inclination, your child’s gut health remains thriving, and mood disorders stay at bay.
2. Nuts And Seeds
Nuts and seeds are nutrient powerhouses that solve most of your child’s nourishment requirements in small doses. Full of zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, and tryptophan (an amino acid responsible for producing serotonin), nuts and seeds are more than prepared to improve brain functioning and scare mental health conditions away. Incorporate more almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds into your child’s diet to see the difference they make in their mental health.
3. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like rohu, hilsa, and salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). These two omega-3 acids are commonly linked with a lower risk of depression and other mood disorders. Fatty fish further aid in brain development and cognitive functioning in children. So, ensure your kids have a portion of fish in their meals daily.
4. Legumes
Legumes like beans and lentils are wonderful sources of B vitamins that improve mood in humans by increasing levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in children. These neurotransmitters are chiefly in charge of regulating and enhancing emotional state and mood in humans. As legumes also provide magnesium, selenium, zinc, and other vital nutrients that influence mood and mental health, they must be included in your child’s daily diet.
5. Oats
Oats are regarded among nutritionists and healthcare professionals for all the right reasons. Being a whole grain with excellent levels of fiber, protein, and iron, oats slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and ensure your child’s blood sugar levels remain stable. This automatically keeps irritability, mood swings, fatigue, cravings, and mood disorders away.
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is rich in compounds that boost the secretion of mood-enhancing endorphins. It also helps lower stress and induces satiety in children. As sugar is added to this confectionery, it is ideal to monitor intake in children and offer it occasionally as a treat or dessert. Avoid milk chocolates and try to go for dark chocolates, at least 70% pure, to reap maximum benefit.
7. Yogurt
Yogurt is a fermented dairy product that improves children's mood and gut health. It ensures the well-being of gut microbiota, healthy serotonin secretion, and proper absorption of vitamins and nutrients that fortify mental health in humans, like B vitamins. As yogurt also fills children up despite possessing little to moderate sugar, it is an ideal breakfast accompaniment for Indian families to start the day on top gear.
8. Mushrooms
Mushrooms like button and enoki mushrooms are commonly found in a variety of Indo-Chinese and North-Indian dishes. But many do not know that mushrooms are one of the best dietary sources of vitamin D among all others. As vitamin D is a great friend of mental health and good mood in active kids and adults, mushrooms must be included in your family diet now and then throughout the week.
Conclusion
Food is not the only factor that can improve your child’s mental health and well-being, though it is certainly a vital one. Proper outdoor activity or exercise, adequate rest, engaging hobbies, and a wholesome family environment all play a massive role in enhancing and strengthening your child’s mental health. So, give this guide a try today and begin with a healthy diet that supports your child’s emotional and mental well-being. Sincerity and patience will also ensure the rest of the factors are fulfilled soon.
References
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
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