Significant evidence has documented the link between eating breakfast and learning. ~ Michael Murphy
Food and nutrition researchers have gone beyond breakfast as they seek connections between food and learning.
The LD Resources Foundation states that, while it is essential for everyone to eat well, it is especially important for children who think and learn differently to have a healthy diet.
Many individuals and organizations are promoting good nutrition today. They proclaim the benefits of making one energized, helping to cope with stress, and boosting the immune system.
Despite that, recent studies show that skipping breakfast is relatively common among children in the U.S. and other industrialized nations.
The researchers determined that this is associated with quantifiable negative consequences for academic, cognitive, health, and mental health functioning.
This tells us that optimal nutrition is a huge problem for students today.
Besides the problem of skipping breakfast, children with neuro-diverse brains tend to have food sensitivities. Here are some food additives which have been known to cause problems with nutrition and learning.
Parents should look out for and avoid them:
- Artificial colors
- These are frequently found in cookies, cake decorations, and processed foods.
- A study cited on WebMD showed these products can increase hyperactive behavior in children.
- You can solve that problem by doing your own baking and carefully reading labels.
- Artificial flavors
- In food, these usually accompany artificial coloring and are found in cake mixes, candies, and pre-packaged baked goods.
- Try using pure vanilla, almond, and peppermint extracts in your kitchen to get the flavoring you want.
- Preservatives
- The most common preservative found in food today is sodium benzoate. It kills most bacteria, yeasts, and fungi so it is included in food to prevent spoiling and extend its shelf-life.
- Preparing your own food at home eliminates the need for preservatives.
- Sugar
- In her research review on WebMD, Dr. Smitha Bhandari noted that all sugars and processed carbohydrates produce a spike in blood glucose levels causing the child to become more active as the result of the accompanying adrenaline rush.
- Use natural sweeteners in your food – retrain your children’s taste buds.
- Caffeine
- You may be thinking children don’t drink coffee so why include caffeine here. Note that many sodas contain caffeine.
- Everyday Health cited a study that found 5-year-olds became more aggressive and more withdrawn after drinking soda.
More and more, scientists are finding that additives are worsening learning issues.
The bottom line is that we all are a product of what we eat and absorb. Children are not excluded from the laws of health. The food they eat will affect their behavior, memory and learning ability in general.
The best foods for improved brain health and learning are fruit, vegetables, (non-GMO) whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Learning success requires optimal health and brain function. So, if you want your struggling learner to have learning success, pay attention to and plan their food choices wisely.
Considering the additives in them, which foods could you exclude from your family’s diet to improve brain health and learning?
Hi Florence. Good to see you back. Your posts are always so informative and helpful and certainly applicable for me. Good nutrition is necessary also for a healthy adult brain.
That’s right, Lily. What’s good for the little people is good for the big people. 😁
Hi Florence, what an interesting post! I know that I am very reactive to substances in food and beverages, but in odd ways. For example, caffeine makes me very sleepy. I’m also lactose intolerant. And, ugh, so much more. I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables and as few processed foods as possible for the reasons that you described above.
You know, Alice, many of us are lactose intolerant. I like to say that cow’s milk is for the calf and in the same way I won’t drink dog’s milk, I should stay away from cow’s milk. Our human systems weren’t made to process the nutrients in it. I have found that the best solution is to eat food as it is packaged in nature and prepare what can’t be eaten raw in as simple a manner as possible.
Florence, a great list, there are so many food and drinks that are aimed at children but are so unhealthy. When my son was little and was having upset stomach the dietician was shocked to hear that I didn’t put sugar on his cereal!
Hey Amanda, so many parents are ignorant of the damage being done to their precious children by the hidden ingredients in the “fake” foods their children love. And many “professionals” are surprised by healthy actions taken by parents who take the time to educate themselves on matters that affect their children’s health. Kudos to you.
Good advice for all of us. For the last 2 months, I’ve been doing Intermittent Fasting! I break the fast around 10 am and stop eating at 4 430 pm. I feel better when I break fast at 10 rather than 11 – so to your point, eating breakfast in important!
I’m happy to hear you are feeling better following your new eating routine.
It’s amazing how we rename practices that have been around for many years. Over a decade ago, I attended some health classes and learned that it was better to eat 2 meals a day, spaced at least 5 hours apart, and nothing more for the day or night. Today, the buzz phrase for that same thing is “intermittent fasting.” 😄
Very helpful! I wrote a blog about artificial dyes and coloring. We always make sure to read the list of ingredients, especially on fruit snacks, some have so much artificial coloring!
I know you and Lia do a lot of cooking, so I am happy that you always read the labels of the foods you choose. It always amazes me that there is such a need to add so much artificial coloring to so many products marketed to children. I pray that more parents and grandparents are as diligent as you are in reading labels.
Florence, this is so important! I am studying the work of brain scientist/psychiatrist Dr. David Amen, and he would strongly agree with what you are saying. We are blessed to have this knowledge in 2022 and also access to healthier foodstuffs. Now we just need to be a bit less busy so we “have time” to eat in better ways and feed our families in better ways.
Kebba, your counsel to be less busy and invest more time in planning and eating in more nutritional ways is so timely, especially in the times in which we are currently living.
Thank you for the reminder. My son has learning difficulties. I do always insist on plenty fruit and vegetables, especially for his packed lunch but his breakfasts could certainly be healthier. I’ve gotten into the habit of letting him grab cereal or PB&J.
Hey Amanda, I applaud you for including plenty of fruit and vegetables in your son’s diet. You may want to substitute home-cooked whole-grain cereal in place of the store-bought ones since those usually have lots of sugar. Keep making one small change on a regular basis until you have the optimal diet plan for your child and your entire family.
This article was well written and pointed out things succinctly. #UltimateBlogChallengeSupporter
Thanks, Miste.