"We sometimes forget that our brains need energy," explains Dietitian Aoife Hearne. "Having adequate energy come in, right from the start of the day, is actually really important. Not just for physical energy but for mental energy and our mood."
The mum-of-three is currently working with porridge oat giant Flahavan’s on its Super Mood Food campaign, to help get kids eating a healthy breakfast each morning.
Good Mood Food
Although it is in everybody's interest to start their day with an energy-boosting breakfast, Aoife insists that children, in particular, need to take in foods that are high in fibre but low in sugar.
"We expect them to behave and we expect them to pay attention at school and to focus, but really, if we're setting them out on an empty tank, they're not going to be able to do that or be resilient," she said.
Ideally, kids should have a consistent diet with foods that are unprocessed and high in fibre - this will help maintain their blood sugar and energy levels throughout the day, which will result in a more stable mood.
"We think about porridge, we think about oats, we think about anything that's high in fibre combined with protein - with milk, for example, or adding in nuts to your porridge or fruit into your porridge."
Winter is coming
As we move towards the colder months, it's particularly important that our kids are boosting their immune system with plenty of fruit such as strawberries, kiwis and oranges.
"Vitamin C - we've heard it before and we'll hear it again, but we know that vitamin C is particularly important for our immune system and helps to kind of fight off colds and flu but also, if you get a cold or flu, it limits the longevity of it.
"Try not to wait until later in the evening," she continued. "Get your fruit in at your breakfast so you're starting with one or two of your seven a day."
Although fruit can be a tasty way to fight off a cold, our Operation Transformation dietitian insists that our immune systems depend on a healthy gut, which means that we can't neglect our wholegrains either.
"People are taking of pro-biotics to keep their gut healthy but actually the good bacteria need fibre to survive so we need to be eating whole grains right from early in the day.
The key things for immunity? Plenty of fruit and veg, sleep, wholegrains and lots of water.
Ditch the high/low diet
All too often, in a society obsessed with diets, consumers are being told that certain types of foods are good while others are bad. Looking at the current trend it would seem that 'protein' is the buzzword, fat is back in the good books and carbs have been put out to pasture.
"All diets work for a period of time but the research will say, none of them last forever," says Aoife. "For me, focusing on healthy habits is far more important."
When it comes to 'high-protein' or 'no-carb', Aoife insists that we need to embrace a more well-rounded diet.
"I think what we're forgetting and we're missing is the huge importance of carbohydrates to keep our gut healthy and the negative impacts on every single condition on our body if our gut is not working right."
"It's easy to say 'cut out carbs and lose weight' but we have to look at what negative aspects that will have," she continued.
Back to basics
"No food is the enemy, it's our habits with our food, how much we eat of them and choosing the different sources. The message when it comes to carbohydrates is that we want wholegrains, unprocessed sources."
According to the Dietitian, we all need to take the simple route when it comes to creating a healthy diet.
"If we can get the simple things right; eat regularly, get our whole grains, eat our fruit and veg and stay hydrated - that's a really good place to start."
Top Super Mood Foods:
- Fibre - Wholegrains and foods that are high in fibre such as oats will ensure you're keeping your child’s gut healthy.
- Fruit - Two portions of fruit each day is not only good for mood but good for keeping your body healthy. Berries, in particular, are a great addition to breakfast in the morning.
- Milk - A great source of calcium, essential for growth and development of strong bones and teeth.
- Water - Tap water is a great choice as the naturally occurring minerals in water allow the brain to work at its best.
