Nutrition for Being Smart Baby

Nutrition is the resource of energy to make the metabolism process in the body run properly. In baby, most of the energy is used to support their development, including the development of their brain. The nutrition needs in baby is different from one to another. This difference can reach the number between 10 to 15%. Nevertheless, the nutrition that is acquired by baby should reach the balance. It means that, the concentration of protein, carbohydrate, and lipid should reach the number between 10 to 15%, 60 to 70%, and 20 to 25%, respectively. It is counted from the calorie that is needed by per kilogram of baby’s weight.

Breast milk had been known and proven as the first, the main and also the best food for baby, especially from newborn until 6 months old. Breast milk can act alone to fulfill all of the baby’s nutrition needs in a right composition, including the specific nutrition to support the growth and the development of baby’s brain. The nutrition that are specifically needed supporting and helping brain development process are essential fatty acids, protein, vitamin B1, B6, Folic acid (B9), choline, iodine, ferum (iron), and zinc. All of the nutrition are contained in breast milk.

Essential Fatty Acids
The kind of essential fatty acids that are known in supporting the brain development process are linoleic acid (omega-6), linolenic acid (omega-3), and oleic acid (omega-9). Those essential fatty acids should be acquired from food, our body do not able to produce it. The research had been proven that babies who acquire breast milk will have the essential fatty acids’ concentration in the body higher than baby who did not. The omega-3 and omega-6 are needed to form the neurons and synapses, while omega-9 is needed in the myelinization process.

Protein
The basic component that is composed protein is amino acid which possesses function in the formation of brain structure. Several certain amino acids, which are taurine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine are the compounds functioned in delivering messages or stimulations (neurotransmitter). In breast milk contains protein approximately 1.2 grams per 100 ml.

Vitamin B1
The deficiency of vitamin B1 can cause the disturbance in peripheral nerve system’s function.

Vitamin B6
The existence of the bonding disturbance of vitamin B6 with an enzyme in the brain is able to decrease its concentration in the body, so that the condition can lead to stiff in newborn.

Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
The deficiency of vitamin B9, especially during the pregnancy, is able to cause the disturbance in the formation of backbone as long as baby in the womb. Further, problem in the backbone formation will cause the disturbance in central nerve system which is connected to the brain.

Choline
This compound is a precursor of a transmitter called acetylcholine. Choline is also a part of lecithin, a phospholipid that is generally found in the brain as component which composes a membrane of nerve cells.

Iodine
This mineral is needed to synthesize thyroxine hormone, a hormone which is needed in the formation of protein that possess a role in the brain development. Therefore, the deficiency of iodine will disturb either physical development or brain development.

Iron
This mineral is needed in myelin formation process. Iron is reserved in several brain networks for 12 months in the first year of life.

Zinc
This mineral is contained in almost every cell in the body, including brain. Zinc is an essential mineral which is become a part of about 300 kind of enzymes (metalo-enzyme) which helps the cells fission. The deficiency of zinc in the brain will lead to the disturbance of brain function which is called ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder)

In order to fulfill your baby’s needs for nutrition, you have to consume nutrition-rich-foods so that your breast milk will contain all of the nutrition that is needed by your baby. Just get used to always consume food with balance nutrition.

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Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLA)

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are an isomer of linoleic acid. The CLA are produced by biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the rumens of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, etc. Meats, milk and milk products from these animals contain CLA. Smaller amounts are found in processed oil, presumably as the result of heating and oxidation.

The CLA content of ruminant meat and milk can be increased by manipulation of the cow’s dietary regimen. Consumption of these foods by humans increases the CLA content of breast milk and blood plasma. CLA have been reported to have a variety of beneficial effects. Therefore, it has stimulated and publications. Here are the brief beneficial effects of CLA:

1. Anticarcinogenic for carcinogen-induced tumors and neoplasias in stomachs and colons of mice and rats, mammary tumors of rats, and cultured human mammary cells. By extrapolation from rat studies, more CLA in the diet might protect against breast cancer. Ip, et al. calculated that 0.1% dietary CLA, the preventive amount for rats, would be equivalent to daily intake of 3 g for humans.


2. Overcame catabolic responses to endotoxin injection.


3. Improved weight gain and feed efficiency in rats.


4. Enhanced select immune functions in several animals.


5. Antiatherosclerotic in rabbits. Reduced total LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Reduced total cholesterol and early atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters.


6. Is a potent antioxidant although this has been questioned.


7. Modulated bone metabolism.


8. Altered lipid composition in mouse liver. Reduced body weight; increased feed efficiency.


9. Decreased body fat and increased lean body mass in mice.

CLA is surely posses many beneficial effects for our health. Its consumption will help our body in preventing from disease. Milk is the one of the CLA resources. Therefore, milk consumption is very suggested for human. McGuire et al. gave an average consumption in the United States as 50 to 180 mg/d for adults and 224 mg/d for lactating women. McGuire et al. also noted that consumption of only two glasses (16 oz, or 469 mL) of milk/d (55 mg/d of CLA) will be decreased the risk of breast cancer in women. Women should increase their ingestion of foods containing CLA while nursing their babies and protect themselves from breast cancer.

Regards

Reference: Robert G. Jensen, “Lipids in Human Milk”, Lipids, vol. 34, no. 12, 1999. .....Read the fullpost >>>

Trans Fatty Acid: Things You Should Know

According to www.medterms.com, trans fatty acid or trans fat is an unhealthy substance that are produced in foods by biohydrogenation in the rumen and appear in ruminant milks and their products and by processing of oils, partial hydrogenation, and heating. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods, such as french fries.

Trans fatty acids (FA) be transferred to the fetus via cord blood and also to the infant through milk. The amounts are related to the quantities consumed in the maternal diet. The range of trans fat content in human milk is between 3.1 to 4.7. It can be different between one country to another. The difference in quantity is due to maternal diet. Consumption of trans fat in pregnant woman or lactating mother should be decreased, because it surely bring negative effects either for fetus or infant.

In this posting I want to try giving you the information about the effects of trans fat in human. Here are the points of its negative effects:

1. Hypercholesterolemic in adults, Not considered high risk according to the research.


2. None on amounts of prostaglandins in milk.


3. Impairment of biosynthesis of Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LCPUFA) in premature infants and children and of growth in premature infants. However a causal relationship between trans FA intake and changes in early development not established according to Carlson, et al..


4. Trans fatty acids found in plasma triglycerides, sterol esters, and phospholipids of premature infants. Trans negatively correlated with birth weight and with the biochemical reactions alpha-linolenic acid to docosahexaenoic and linoleic acid to docosapentaenoic acid. Both LCPUFA (DHA and AA) required for maturation of brain and nervous system of infants


5. Effects in number 4 seen in children, 1–15 yr where applicable


6. Vaccenic acid (one of trans FA), t11-18:1, from ruminant fats may have less or no effect on coronary heart disease in women, it was inferred from Retrospective Dietary Study.


7. Trans FA in plasma of premature infants may be inversely associated with LCPUFA in membrane lipids.
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Hopefully this information will be useful for you.

Regards.

Kindly References: Robert G. Jensen, “Lipids in Human Milk”, Lipids, vol. 34, no. 12, 1999. .....Read the fullpost >>>

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Arachidonic acid (AA)

Brain is the center of intelligence, skill, sensitivity, and also mental development of human. Even, chemically, about 60% of human brain comprised of lipids. From the amount of the lipids, DHA (Docosahexanoic acid) and AA ( Arachidonic acid) are the dominant components that composing nerve cells and baby’s brain. So, it is true that the function of brain will be much affected by the composing lipids. Therefore, the development of human brain is also affected by the kind of food, especially DHA and AA.

The development of human brain was started when fetus still in the womb, so that the fetus’ needs for DHA and AA had been started. In that time, the necessity of omega-3 fatty acid was acquired from mother’s blood that flowing through placenta. The continuously delivering of DHA to the fetus is needed until the third trimester of pregnancy. Even, the DHA needs in the small brain and in the cerebrum increase by three fold during the last trimester. These essential fatty acids are used to build brain nerves and also retina.

In The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (71:1) Suppl, 327s-30s noted that the omega fatty acids are very important for baby’s development. Moreover, lacking of omega-3 fatty acids is closely related to the disturbance of delivering message and stimulation by the nerve cells. It can cause these following things:

1. Decrease the remembering memory.


2. The vision getting bad.


3. Decrease the immune system.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition February 2003 edition also noted that lacking of DHA in the brain and retina could affect these followings:

1. Disturbance of vision ability.


2. Disturbance of learning activity.


3. Disturbance of behavior.


4. Disturbance of neurotransmitter metabolism.

Hopefully this article will be useful for you.

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DHA in Breast Milk

The Benefits of DHA in the breast milk for brain development process were proven by a research that was conducted for 21 years in the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. The research that was started in 1981 involved 3880 newborns. About 80% of the baby had the breast milk until they are 6 months old. Five years later, their language intelligence was observed. The result showed that baby’s language intelligence was better compared to baby who only had formula milk. Further, their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was about 8 points higher than the formula milk-baby.

This temporary result of the research that had been published in the United States-based Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health in 2001, showed that the nutrients contained in the breast milk help baby in strength the immune system, so that baby can be avoided from infectious diseases. So, baby’s development will run favourably. Besides, the closeness and inner relationship between baby and mother will be firmly interwoven when baby is breast feeding, furthermore baby’s cognitive ability will also develop. The DHA content in the breast milk that is appropriate with baby’s need may optimize the plasticity process. Plasticity is the process of the formation of new synapse.

The experts from Denmark had conducted the research about DHA content in the breast milk. They found that DHA breast milk is profoundly influenced by food consumption of mothers. If mothers today consuming foods with the high DHA content, then tomorrow the DHA content in the breast milk will increase significantly. The list of omega-3 food resources can you see at The Paleo Diet.

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DHA: Things Happened When Baby Is Sleeping

The sleeping duration of newborn approximately is around 16 hours in a day. Along with the increasing of their age until 3 years old, their sleeping duration will be slowly decreased. Baby’s sleep pattern is closely related to the docosahexanoic acid (DHA) content in the breast milk. Babies who acquire breast milk with the high DHA content show better in sleeping pattern than babies who receive breast milk with the low DHA content.

As long as baby sleep well, the whole system in their body have a chance to work with the velocity that had been regulated by nature. When baby is sleeping, several processes are continuously happened in the body so that either function or ability of each systems and organs develop in their manner. Besides that, the cells of body will grow, the immune system will develop, and the ability of brain and also central nerve system in processing stimulation received by the nerve tips will increase, it is all happened when baby is sleeping and when the needs of DHA fulfilled. Furthermore, if baby receive an adequate quantity of DHA from breast milk, then the process of brain formation and also the maturity of nerve cells in the brain will run correctly.

I think DHA is inevitably needed by baby. Nutrition and also stimulation are the two things which ascertain the intelligence of baby, and DHA is one of the nutrition part which having significant role in the brain development and eventually will increase baby’s intelligence.

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The Role of Essential Fatty Acids for Baby

The development of baby’s brain will be better if it is supported by the right stimulation and also nutrition. Essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, is profoundly having significant role in the baby’s brain development and consequently it will make baby become cleverer. Essential fatty acids have an important role in the formation of neuron cell wall and in the providing of energy for brain. The deficiency of essential fatty acid will disturb brain development.

There are three essential fatty acids which are important in influencing baby’s intelligence. Those are docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) which are grouped as linolenic fatty acid (omega-3), the other one of three fatty acids mentioned before is arachidonic acid (AA) which is belonging to linoleic fatty acid (omega-6) group. DHA and AA play an important role in the formation of neuron cell wall and providing energy for brain to develop. While AA and EPA have a significant role in smoothing blood circulation and preventing the degenerative diseases.

Essential fatty acid should be acquired from food, because human body doesn’t able to produce it. There are many researches that concluded the importance of essential fatty acid for human, particularly for baby. The research that were conducted in Avon (UK) resulted baby whose the mother consume adequate DHA have better Intelligence Quotient (IQ) than baby whose the mother lack of consuming DHA, the research involved 90000 of pregnant women.

In 2007, the research which was conducted by Dr. Sinn showed that children who have issue in learning activity and also in behavior manner will get better and show significant development after consume essential fatty acids. The more recently research, in 2008, conducted by Joseph L Jacobson as a leader in the research team also showed that DHA is very important in the development of baby’s brain.

As a conclusion, essential fatty acids surely have a vital role in the development of baby’s brain. So, it is task for us in providing the nutrition balance of food for our baby in order to make them healthy and cleverer.

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