According to a new study published in the Journal of Science at the University of Pennsylvania, children who eat fish at least once a week have higher average sleep quality and IQ scores than children who do not eat fish.
This is because fish contains a special nutrient compared to pork, beef, etc., which is the DHA we often hear. It is an indispensable and important nutrient for the human body, and it is also an important part of the brain, known as "brain gold". It is abundant in the membranes of brain cells and retinas, accounting for 35%-45% of the total fatty acids of the brain, and is essential for intellectual and visual development.
However, the body's own ability to synthesize DHA is relatively weak and inefficient, which suggests that babies can get it from diet. The best food source for DHA/EPA is fish, especially deep-sea fish. Therefore, giving the baby to eat fish often is helpful for the baby's brain development.
And in addition to DHA, the choline in fish meat also supports the development of the baby's spinal cord, iron and zinc can improve the child's immune system, and fish is also a source of other nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium. Therefore, after the baby adds complementary foods, it can be arranged to eat fish 2 to 3 times a week, and about 50g each time.
However, when giving children fish, pay attention to it, not all fish are suitable for children to eat. The main selection is based on these simple principles: high DHA, low mercury content, and fewer thorns.
The DHA content should be high
In general, the DHA and EPA content is high, and the natural price is also high, such as some deep-sea fish, which are very expensive. However, there are also some relatively cost-effective fish, such as sea bass, striped fish, dragon fish, small yellow croaker, pomfret, etc., which are not only rich in DHA and EPA, but also have a relatively low methylmercury content, and mothers can take turns to arrange for their children to eat.
Avoid fish with high mercury
Marine fish will more or less have a certain amount of mercury pollution, containing trace amounts of methylmercury, long-term exposure to children will cause damage to their brains and nervous systems.
The U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have made it clear that for pregnant, lactating women, and children, fish with higher mercury content such as squarehead fish, sharks, sailfish, swordfish, golden snapper, and thoracoseopsis are not recommended for children.
Fewer spines, easy to handle, easy to cook
Grass carp, crucian carp, silver carp, etc., spiny succulent residue, minutes can make people taste the pain of being stuck in the throat by the fish spines, adults should be extra careful when eating, not to mention children.
So in the matter of eating fish for children, less thorns, easy to deal with is also a very important principle, salmon, cod, flounder, sea bass, pomfret, etc. belong to less fish spines, easy to handle fish, of course, shrimp, oysters in the DHA is also more abundant, easy to eat, mothers can change to their children to eat.
How to eat fish to be the most nutritious? Is braised or steamed?
When cooking fish for your baby, it is not recommended to eat any raw fish and aquatic products, including sushi and sashimi, because there may be parasites in raw fish meat, and long-term consumption will affect your child's health.
In addition, to cook fish for the baby, it is best to choose steaming, boiling, filling and other ways. First of all, DHA, EPA is not very heat-resistant, steamed fish is not easy to make the nutritional loss of fish, and secondly, the original taste is beneficial to the baby's taste development, and cooking methods such as frying will not only change the taste of the fish itself, but also affect the easily digestible characteristics of the fish itself, so it is not recommended to give the baby fried, fried, pickled fish.
There is also a child's growth process, a balanced diet is the root of the child's healthy development, although eating fish is good for the baby, but the mothers do not need to add fish to the baby, the same eat too much for the baby, there is also a metabolic burden, anything to maintain the right amount.