Do you remember when our parents used to insist on some foods saying "they make a child wise”? Was it real or they were just trying to encourage us to eat all kinds of food? Are there nutrients in some foods that can actually make a child wise? What is the impact of poor nutrition on a child’s performance in class?
Erick Matsiko, a lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, says that when children eat well, they study well, but those who do not are at risk of performing poorly.
He says that foods that can ‘make a child wise’ are needed mostly in the early stages, otherwise the child may present irreversible abnormalities at a later age.
In fact, experts say that children are able to learn better when they are well fed, and that eating healthy meals has been linked to higher grades, better memory and alertness, and faster information processing.
Matsiko says, "Initiation of brainstorming and formation of a high IQ begins when a child is still in the womb of the mother. That is when the brain is being formed.
What is needed?
Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, a clinic in Kigali that deals with diet, physical wellness, and lifestyle, says that the consumption of several types of nuts and sea products are a great place to start.
These nuts include sesame, chia seeds, and macadamia, whereas, sea products include fish. All these foods, he says are rich in folic acid.
"This provides the building blocks needed to construct every cell in a baby’s brain. Folic acid also helps in crucial early spinal development. If these are consumed in the first days, they enhance the successful brain formation, which improves the child’s performance in school,” Kamanzi says.
These foods, Kamanzi says, are coupled with vitamin B, which is found in green vegetables, meat, and fruits.
They are recommended because they are nourishment foods, in other words, the nutritionist says, they help in refreshing the mind of a child.
According to Matsiko, foods with simple sugars such as whole grain bread, legumes and a range of vegetables, help in providing energy to the brain, thus ensuring good memory.
What to put into consideration
According to Alphonse Maniraguha, a biology lecturer at Byimana School of Sciences, sometimes the problem comes in when children are made to consume one type of food because that is what is common in their area.
"Parents should be cautious about feeding kids one specific type of food and in large amounts. Children need different types of nutrients.
"For example, people who live in Musanze shouldn’t feed their children Irish potatoes only, same to those in other areas with different types of crops,” Maniraguha says.
However, Maniraguha says although food may contribute to the brain’s capacity and function, it also depends on the brain’s genes and physiology.
Maniraguha advises people to adopt a wholesome and well-balanced diet, which is essential to the general good health of any individual.