Green leafy vegetables

Although it may be difficult to encourage your child to consume leafy greens, research indicates that these nutrient-rich veggies are crucial for children's brain development. There are substances that protect the brain in green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and lettuce, including folate, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins E and K1. According to one study, youngsters who consumed enough folate had higher cognitive scores than those who did not. Additionally, studies indicate that a diet rich in foods containing carotenes, such as leafy greens, may improve a child's cognitive performance.

Leafy greens are high in carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. These build up in the retina, a layer of your eye after you consume them. The amount of these pigments in the eye is gauged by something called macular pigment optical density, or MPOD. According to certain research, MPOD and children's cognitive development are favorably correlated.