020251 Certain Foods - Including Meat - Boost Brain ActivityFebruary 21, 2002Here's food for thought: Which five foods, when added to your child's diet, can help make them more intelligent? The answer may surprise you. "When I cook up macaroni and cheese, I'll put broccoli in it -- literally in the macaroni and cheese -- and they'll eat that," Brent said. But when it comes to boosting brain development, there's another school of thought. According to a local expert and author of a new book, every child's diet should include five super foods that may help make them smarter. Kids are nuts about peanut butter, and it's a top-five favorite of "Healthy Foods, Healthy Kids" by author Elizabeth Ward. "Peanut butter contains the type of fat that helps to foster intellectual capacity and intellectual growth," Ward said. Whole milk has the right fat too, and the cholesterol kids need -- especially under age 2. "Cholesterol is involved with nerve cells and brain cells, and it helps to insulate the brain cells so there are no short circuits in communication," Ward said, Ward said that eggs, which have cholesterol, are also loaded with protein and nutrients. "Eggs are concentrated in a B-like vitamin called choline, and choline has been shown in animal studies to help improve learning and improve memory," Ward said. There's also tuna. It's full of Omega-3 fatty acids and is great for kids. "In fact, it's a polyunsaturated fat that's actually found in brain cells, so you would want your child to eat this," Ward said. Finally, there's iron- and protein-packed red meat. "A lot of times, kids will accept meatballs, and you can use them in burritos, or you can roll the meat up in tortillas," Ward said.
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