Testing...

It's that time of year again, time for the all-school standardized (a.k.a. MAPS) tests at school. The topic of food and how it affects our body has been intriguing to me since reading Secrets to Controlling Your Weight, Cravings and Mood.I've done a fair amount of reading on this topic over the past few months and I find myself especially interested in the role food plays in our brains ability to function. I've posted this article before, but I thought it was worth linking again as it outlines some great information on the importance of adding protein and fiber to our children's diets. Long story short, studies show that children who eat diets rich in fiber and protein perform better in school than those who consume diets low in protein and high in sugar. Not only does protein and fiber take longer to digest than high sugar foods, but they also supply essential amino acids that combine to form proteins that are essential for managing the neurotransmitters in the brain.One of my goals is to feed my kids food that will sustain their energy levels and keep their blood sugar stable on a daily basis, but it's especially important on days like today.

Here are a few ideas of how we incorporate "brain foods" into our diets. (Brain foods are typically high in amino acids such as; meat, eggs, cheese, peas, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc...)

Breakfast:

• Omelette (Eggs are a great source of protein and they contain choline which boosts memory and concentration)


• Scrambled Eggs


• Whole Wheat Tortilla with eggs/cheese


• Steel cut oats with blueberries (blueberries are rich in antioxidants and high in fiber)


• French toast topped with walnuts and cinnammon

Lunch:

• Hard Boiled Egg


• Turkey sandwich on flax seed wrap high in omega-3's


• Peppers and hummus


• Peanut Butter and whole grain bread/English muffin


• Chicken legs


• Fried Egg Sandwich


• Lots of green veggies

Snacks:

• Apples w/ p.b.


• Flax Seed Muffins


• Protein shake ( 80z. unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 scoop Jay Robb vanilla protein powder, 1/4 c. frozen berries, ice)


• Walnuts, Almonds, etc...


• Almonds, walnuts


• Dark Chocolate


• Strawberries (high infisetin, a flavenoid that improves memory recall)

Dinner:

• Green veggies (celery, spinach salad, broccoli, asparagus)


• Lean Meat (turkey, chicken, grass fed beef , venison)


• Fish

Today's lunch includes: turkey/spinach/cheese wrap, strawberries, celery & p.b. (if peanut allergies are a concern you could use hummus or sunbutter instead), peanut butter-dark chocolate muffins, trail mix (almonds & 1/4 Jay Robb vanilla bar cut into bite-sized pieces)