The Top brain development foods for a 6 month old baby

Introduction

Your baby’s brain builds up over time: it starts during pregnancy and continues into adulthood.

And like a building, it needs a solid foundation.

It is very important to see that your child’s brain develops properly for both you and your child.

The brain is made up of different areas that control everything we do, from listening to walking to solving problems and how we feel.

Each zone contains millions of brain cells or neurons.

These neurons communicate with each other by transmitting chemical messages in small spaces called synapses.

During the first 36 months of your child’s life, his brain grows and grows as he picks up everything around him and finds out how to think, react and solve important problems like “how” can I get this toy? and how can I get up … crawl … run away … run?

Activities such as reading aloud to your child, listening to music, building blocks, playing with them, and exploring their surroundings are factors that promote brain development.

However, this is not the only way to make your child’s brain development.

Eating well is also important.

Foods that contain antioxidants, choline, omega-3 fatty acids and complex carbohydrates are especially useful for improving brain health.

Brain Development foods for a 6 month old baby​

These foods can help babies stay sharp and affect how their brains develop well into the future

Avocado

The creamy avocado is the first popular food.

Avocado is a nutrient-rich fruit with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Not only is it nutritious, but healthy fats contribute to the development of brain cells.

Cheese

Small soft cheeses are often introduced at different times, depending on the preparation of your baby, as they have a lighter flavor and a lighter texture.

For example, cottage cheese is also a simple offer as your baby could eat it as a snack or mix it with vegetables or fruit.

Apple

These nutritious fruits contain quercetin, which stimulates brain activity.

Apples are the first food and in the transition phase of your baby’s diet easy to offer.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a superfood for your baby’s brain.

It contains DHA, which supports the connection of neurons.

It also has anti-cancer properties, which makes it an excellent food for the baby’s brain.

Read more about Brocoli here

Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are the building blocks of brain tissue.

Omega-3 fatty acids promote brain growth and function in babies.

Regular consumption of fish improves your child’s mental abilities.

Oatmeal

One study found that children who eat oatmeal at breakfast achieve much better results in spatial memory-related tasks.

Oatmeal is rich in Vitamin E, Zinc and B vitamins and provides children with a constant flow of energy due to their high fibre content.

Nuts

Nuts like walnuts, almonds, and peanuts are good food for the brain.

High levels of vitamin E in these foods limit cognitive degeneration.

Nuts also contain zinc, which promotes the development of memory and the brain.

These superfoods are packed with nutrients that are essential for brain development.

So you should keep it in your kitchen.

Vegetables

Vegetables with rich, deep colors are an excellent source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants help to keep the brain cells healthy.

The best vegetables for the brain are sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots.

Green leafy vegetables such as kale, chard, spinach, and kale are rich in folate, which keeps dementia at bay.

Kale contains sulforaphane and diindolylmethane, which promote the growth of brain cells.

Lentils

Lentils are available in a variety of shapes and form an extremely popular offering in the Eastern part of the world.

They are particularly nutritious because they contain fibre, iron ,and proteins.

They are soft and easy to cook (no soaking required) and can be easily mixed in the form of puree or soup.

They are also one of the lightest options that legumes and beans initially offer.

Some recipes for brain development foods for your baby

Here are some interesting recipes which will help in the development of the brain of your 3 to 12 months babies.

You can try them out.

Minty Peas ( for 3 to 6 months)

(Prep time: 05 min, Cooking time: 10 min, serve 1)

The nutritional value of peas is incredible, considering the small size of a pea skin.

This wonderful little vegetable is an excellent first “green” food for the baby because it is nutritious and for the most part enjoyable to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
• ½ medium summer squash roughly chopped
• 2 mint leaves roughly chopped.

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of water over medium heat. Place the summer squash in a steam basket and place it on boiling water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add peas and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Steam water reserve. Allow cooling slightly.
2. Place the summer squash, peas and mint leaves in a blender or food processor and purée for 1 minute or to the desired consistency. If the must is too thick, add 1/4 cup of the reserved steam water until it has the desired consistency.Tips: Sterilize the bowls and spoons used for feeding your baby in a vessel with hot water for five minutes and keep it immersed in the same vessel until use.

You can prepare this recipe using the following appliances/kitchen items 

1.Digital Baby Food Maker Machine – 2-in-1 Steamer Cooker and Puree Blender Food Processor

2.Stainless Steel Steamer with Extendable Handle

Sweet Potato with Chives (4 to 6 months)

(Prep time: 05 min| Cooking time: 15 min| serve 1)

The nutritional value of sweet potatoes is incredible and its delicious taste is another wonderful option for a baby’s first meal.

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene as well as in potassium.

They also contain a good amount of vitamin E, calcium and folic acid.

Ingredients

• 1cup sweet potato
• ¼ tablespoon chives finely chopped
• ½ cup reserved steamer water breast milk or formula

Instructions

1. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water and simmer over medium heat. Place the sweet potato in a steam basket over the boiling water, cover it and let it boil for 15 minutes or until soft.
2. Add sweet potato and chives to a blender or food processor and reduce to a smooth puree. Add the liquid in 1/4 cup increments until the desired consistency is achieved.

Tips: Throw out what your baby doesn’t finish. Once her spoon has gone into her mouth and back into the remaining food, bacteria can grow.

Crunchy Apples Cinnamon Puree (4 to 6 months)

(Prep time: 05 min| Cooking time: 15 min| serve 1)

Apples are an excellent choice for one of the baby’s first foods. They are easy to prepare, easy to digest and rich in nutrients. Apples are also good when frozen, added to a Baby Safe Feeder and used as a teething reliever.

Ingredients

• 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/4 cup breast milk or formula
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Put the apples, water, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan, cover and heat over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the apples are tender. Allow cooling slightly.
2. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and mix for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth.
3. Add the breast milk till desired consistency is achieved.

Tips: Make sure that there are no lumps and that the puree is completely smooth.

You can use the Baby Fruit Feeder Pacifier (2 Pack) to give this puree to your baby.

Kale and carrot puree (6 to 9months)

(Prep time: 10 min, Cooking time: 20 min, serve 1)

The health benefits of carrots for babies embrace the offer of essential vitamins and minerals.

The only reason why babies should be feed Kale is that it’s the most effective source of essential minerals for baby growth and development.

Kale has rich high amounts of calcium and magnesium, both of which are required for baby bone development.

Ingredients

• 1 whole medium carrot, peeled
• 1 large handfuls fresh kale, washed

Instructions

1. Cut carrots into strips or slices and wrap in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet and bake at 190 ° C for about half an hour or until the carrots are tender.
2. Blend to the required consistency if needed add milk, formula or cooled boiled water.

Tips: Do steam or microwave vegetables and fruits to retain as many vitamins and minerals as possible, as opposed to boiling.

Blueberry, Quinoa, and Banana Puree (9 to 12 months)

(Prep time: 10 min, Cooking time: 20 min, serve 1)

Quinoa is rich in vitamins such as thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, folate and vitamin E.

These are some of the most important vitamins needed for your baby’s development in different areas.

Blueberries are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup of quinoa
• ½ cup blueberries
• ⅔ cup of water
• 1 medium banana, chopped

Instructions

1. Put the quinoa on a fine sieve and wash it in cold water.
2. Add water and quinoa in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, cook over low heat and let simmer uncovered for 12 minutes until the quinoa is tender and soft.
3. Blend quinoa with other ingredients until smooth.

Tips: Baby’s kidneys cannot tolerate salt and sodium. Do not add table salt to purees

Conclusion

From birth to five years of age, a child’s brain develops more than at any other time in life.

The early development of the brain has a lasting effect on a child’s ability to learn and be successful at school and in life.

The quality of a child’s first year of life, whether positive or negative, affects the development of his brain.

If you can breastfeed, breast milk is the best food you can give your baby in the first 6 months of life (and much more with supplemental nutrition).

Regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or taking baby food, consider eating time as brain development time: eye contact, smile and skin contact are positive experiences.

As your baby gets older, you should offer iron-rich foods and foods with a variety of nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables.

Buy foods such as wild salmon and other greasy fish, nuts, ground flaxseed and omega-3 enriched eggs.

Iron promotes the growth of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to your baby’s brain.